IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


1.1 


ULMTA     1 2.5 


Hi 

u 

■a    u 

lUtei. 


140 


IL25  III  1.4 


1.6 


Photographic 

SoHices 

Corporalion 


23  WKT  MAIN  STRUT 

WltSTM,N.Y.  14510 

(  '16)I72-4S03 


■^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notaa/Notos  tachniquat  at  bibliographiquaa 


Tha  Inatituta  haa  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  Im  bibliographically  uniqua. 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction,  or  which  may  aignificantly  changa 
tha  usual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chaclcad  balow. 


L'inatitut  a  microfilm*  la  maillaur  axamplaira 
qu'il  iui  a  At*  possibia  da  su  procurer.  Las  details 
da  cat  axamplaira  qui  aont  paut-Atra  uniquas  du 
point  da  vua  bibliographiqua,  qui  pauvant  modifier 
una  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mAthoda  normala  de  filmaga 
sont  indiqute  ci-dessous. 


□    Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  da  couleur 

I      I   Covers  damaged/ 


D 


D 


D 
D 


D 


Couverture  endommagAe 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  reataurte  et/ou  pelliculAe 


I — I   Cover  title  miasing/ 


La  titre  de  couverture  manque 


□   Coloured  maps/ 
Cartes  gAographiques  en  couleur 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I   Coloured  plates  and/or  illuatrationa/ 


Planches  at/ou  illvstrationa  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Rail*  avac  d'autras  documents 

Tight  binding  may  causa  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serrAe  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  la  long  de  la  marge  intAriaura 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  poasibia,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanch«s  ajoutAas 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissant  dans  la  taxta. 
mais.  lorsqua  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  At*  filmAes. 


□   Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  da  couleur 


D 
D 
0 
D 
0 


D 
D 


Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagAas 

Pages  reatorad  and/or  ieminated/ 
Pages  restaurAes  et/ou  pelliculAes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dAcolorAes,  tachetAes  ou  piquAes 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  dAtachAes 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


Quality  inAgale  de  I'impreasion 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprand  du  material  supplAmantaira 


Only  edition  available/ 
Sauia  Edition  diaponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
alips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Lea  pagea  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  una  pelure, 
etc..  ont  *t*  fiimAes  A  nouveau  da  fa^on  A 
obtanir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


0 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentairas  supplAmantairas; 


Irregular  paginatton:  [2)  -  52, 56  •  229.  [4]  p. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  eat  film*  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu*  ci-daaaoua. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


28X 


30X 


7 


12X 


16X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


Th«  copy  film«d  h«r«  has  b««n  r«produc«d  thanks 
to  th«  ganarosity  of: 

Library  Oivifion 

Provincial  ArcMv«t  of  British  Columbia 


L'oxomploiro  film*  f ut  roproduit  grtce  i  la 
OinAroait*  da: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 


Tha  imagaa  apraaring  hara  ara  tha  baat  qualKy 
poaaibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  Itaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacifications. 


Las  imagaa  auivantas  ont  4t*  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin.  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattatA  da  I'axamplaira  film*,  at  9n 
conformitA  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 


Original  capiat  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  Irst  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion.  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion,  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illuatratad  imprassion. 


Las  axamplairas  originaux  dont  la  couvartura  an 
papiar  ast  ImprimAa  sont  filmte  an  commandant 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  an  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darniira  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustratlon,  soit  par  la  sacond 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autras  axamplairas 
originaux  sont  filmAs  an  commandant  par  la 
pramiAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  darniAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  talla 
amprainta. 


Tha  last  racordad  frama  on  aach  microficha 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  —^  (maaninq  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  syk^bol  ▼  (moaning  "END"). 
whichavar  applias. 


Un  das  symboias  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
darniAra  imaga  da  chaqua  microficha.  salon  la 
cas:  la  symbols  — ^  signifia  "A  SUIVRE".  la 
symbols  ▼  signifia  "FIN". 


Maps,  platas,  charts,  ate,  may  ba  filmad  at 
diffarant  raduction  ratios.  Thosa  too  larga  to  ba 
antiraly  included  in  ona  axposura  ara  filmad 
baginning  in  tha  uppar  laft  hand  cornar.  laft  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  framas  as 
raquirad.  Tha  following  diagrams  illustrata  tha 
mathod: 


Las  cartas,  pianchas,  tablaaux.  ate,  pauvant  Atra 
filmte  A  das  taux  da  reduction  diffArants. 
Lorsqua  la  documant  ast  trap  grand  pour  Atra 
raproduit  an  un  saul  clichA.  il  ast  film*  A  psk   - 
da  I'angla  supAriaur  gaucha,  da  gaucha  A  droits, 
at  da  haut  an  bas,  an  pranant  !a  nombra 
d'imagas  nAcassaira.  L—  diagrammas  suivants 
illustrant  la  mAthoda. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

CANOS  VOYAGE   ON  THE  COI.UMBIA 

Oes  page  136. 


S  K  E  T  (J  II E  S 


09 


MISSION    LIFE 


AXONa  THB 


INDIANS  OF  OREGON. 


Ill 
S 


'     ^ 

^ 


•% 


Jfeiu-ijork  : 


PUBLISHED  BY  CARLTON  &  PHILLIPS. 

6UNDAY-B0H00L  UNIOX,  300  HULBERRY-STREET. 
1851. 


^00.7 


Knterod  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  tlio  year  i834.  by 
CARLTON  &   PHILLIPS, 

in  ttio  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Southern 
District  of  New- York. 


0- 


PREFACE. 

.,  :  M  .^.-  .r  ■■   •■• 

:) 

The  materials  from  which  these  sketch- 
es have  been  drawn  were  given  to  the 
writer  by  a  returned  lay  missionary, 
•who  had  been  nearly  nine  years  in 
Oregon,  under  the  directions  of  the 
Methodist  EfNiscopal  Missionary  Board. 
The  author  having  heard  the  substance 
of  many  of  them  narrated,  in  social 
conversation,  was  impressed  with  the 
belief  that  they  ought  not  to  be  lost. 
He,  therefore,  induced  the  missionary 
to  make  a  summary  statement  of  the 
facts,  the  only  presentation  of  them 


60363 


P 


I 


t 


PREFACE. 


h 


which  his  pressing  secular  duties  al- 
lowed ;  and  these  facts  the  writer  has 
written  out  in  the  familiar  style  of 
these  "sketches."     ' 

His  desire  is,  that  they  may  stimu- 
late the  sympathy  of  the  reader  for 
Christian  missionaries,  and  their  work ; 
and  thus  prove  a  drop  in  the  swelling 
tide  of  gospel  influences,  which  are 
bearing  the  Church  onward  to  the 
rescue  of  a  lost  world. 


yM 


>l 


'•SI        * 


■i;'ui.-«>-     "f'.KJ^^ 


.1.   >■  S  ■   ,\ 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

THE  VOTAOE  TO  OBEGON 9 

THE  HOME  OF  THE  MISSIONARIES 16 

CLIMATE  AND  SOIL. 21 

PERPLEXITIES  OF  irfllSEKEEPINa 2i 

UNCOMFORTABLE  NEIGHBORS. 27 

EVENING  WOLVES 30 

EMIGRANTS  TO  OREGON 36 

ADROIT  BEGOABS 43 

TREATMENT  OF  THE  SICK 47 

SICKNESS,  FUN^ftAL  CEREMONIES,  AND  BUBIAL  OF  THE 

DEAD t  .# 61 

THE  INDIAN  NATIONAL  DANCE 65 

INDIAN  SLAVEBY 69 

BANSOM 73 

THE  INDIAN  MODE  OF  BEMOVAL 77 

FLATTENING  INFANTS*  HEADS 80 

AN  INDIAN  MABBIAGE 82 

THE  WAB  SPIRIT • 89 

THE  TENDER  MERCY  OF  HEATHENISM. 93 

CAMP-MEETING 97 

ERUPTION   OF   MOUNT    ST.   HELENS,   AND  A  PEAK   OF 

THE  PBESIDENrS  BANOE. 104 

WHAI-Pf  M'KENDBEE 109 


i 


\ 

•  t 


! 


4 


8  CONTENTS. 

VAOB 

VISIT  TO  THE  HOT  SPBINOS 114 

EQUATOR — HIS  TRAGIC  END 117 

A  BRAND  PLUCKED  FROM  THE  BURNING. 124 

NOTES  OF  A  JOURNEY 132 

MARY  AND  MARIA 143 

8CIATS 149 

TILUSTINA. 159 

KIS-KIS,  OR  THE  FOOLISH  END 165 

VISIT  TO  MOUNT  JOHN  ADAMS 170 

LUXILLU.. 179 

JOHN 182 

KLADAKULA 186 

THE  BIBLE  AND  THE  HUNTER 197 

ELIJAH  HEDDINO 9 199 

THE  PO>VER  OF  CONSCIENCE 207 

PEACEFUL  DYING 215 

THE  RETURN  HOME 22& 


CANOE  VOYAGE  ON  THE  COLUMBIA 2 

THE  INDIAN  DOCTOR , 53 

AN  INDIAN  WEDDING 85 

KLADAKULA'S  ATTACK 189 

THE  STOLEN  SPOON 213 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


,  -.i 


2 

53 

85 

189 


■} 


d 


THE  VOGAGE  TO  OREGON. 

■  ^ 

None  but  thl^e  who  experience  them 
can  know  the  feelings  of  persons  who 
go  to  preach  the  gospel  in  a  heathen 
land.  They  leave  well-tried  friends  to 
associate  Hbl  those  who  may,  perhaps, 
hate  them  for  their  Master's  sake. 
They  go  to  perform  untried  duties,  to 
endure  afflictions  yet  unknown,  and  to 
submit  to  privations  which  must  make 
the  remembrance  of  lost  blessings  both 
pleasant  and  sad.  In  the  hour  when 
they  bid  adieu  to  home,  they  need  the 
abounding  grace  of  God  in  their  own 


«f 


10 


r^ 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREdON. 


hearts,  and  the  warm  sympathy  and  the 
fervent  prayers  of  the  people  of  God. 
It  is  not  gold  which  they  go  to  seek, 
but  souls,  for  whom  Christ  died;  not 
worldly  honor,  but  an  immortal  crown. 
In  the  spring  of  1839,  the  Rev.  Ja- 
son Lee  returned  from  Oregon,  where 
he  had  been  laboring  as  a  missionary 
about  five  years,  and  brdght  with  him 
five  Flat  Head  Indians.  The  object  of 
his  visit  was  to  arouse  the  Church  to  a 
deeper  interest  in  the  red  men  of  that 
far-off  territory,  that  he  %At  be  able 
to  return  with  more  missionaries  for  the 
great  work.  Missionary  meetings  were 
held  in  various  places,  and  great  interest 
in  the  subject  was  manifested  by  the 
Churches  generally.  A  large  reinforce- 
ment of  the  devoted  band  of  mission- 
aries already  in  Oregon  was  procured, 
who  met  in  New-York,  in  September 


^# 


THE  VOYAGE  TO  OREGON. 


11 


of  that  year,  where  enthusiastic  meet- 
ings were  held;  iu  anticipation  of  their 
departure. 

In  October  they  bade  adieu  to  their 
native  land  and  Christian  friends,  and, 
in  company  with  several  brethren  of 
the  American  Board,  who  were  going 
as  missionaries  to  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
embarked  in  a  fine  ship  for  a  long  and 
perilous  voyage.  We  cannot  detail  the 
particulars  of  their  feelings  and  experi- 
ence during  an  eight  months'  passage. 
Most  of  tlAjjine  they  were  shut  up  in 
their  floatin^nome  on  the  ocean.  Dayly 
they  gazed  upon  the  wide,  wide  waters ; 
thought  of  the  friends  who  were  far 
away  praying  for  them,  and  the  wild 
sons  of  the  forest,  for  whose  rescue 
from  moral  death  they  longed  to  be 
toiling.  They  thought,  too,  of  that 
God   whose    dwelling-place   is   every- 


12 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


f  li 


;   it 


where — in  heaven,  on  the  dry  land, 
and  on  the  ocean;  whose  eye  never 
slumbers,  and  whose  arm  is  never  with- 
drawn from  those  who  do  his  will. 
They  felt  a  sweet  peace  while  they 
thought  and  often  sung, — 

"  This  awful  God  is  ours, 

Our  Father  and  our  Love ; 
He  will  send  down  his  heayenly  powers, 

To  carry  us  above." 

te  #  - 

Every  Sabbath,  when  the  weathef 
permitted,  they  had  preaching  twice; 
and  every  morning  and  ^|Mng,  prayer 
meetings.  Bible  classes  were  also  form- 
ed, so  that  the  time  passed  away  as 
pleasantly  as  the  nature  of  the  circum- 
stances would  permit;  for  the  reader 
will  not  be  surprised  to  learn  that  sea- 
sickness, that  troublesome  attendant 
upon  the  inexperienced  voyager,  dis- 
turbed the  comfort  of  most  of  the  com- 


jl 


THE  VOYAGE  TO  OREGON. 


13 


pany.  They  landed  at  Rio  Janeiro  and 
Valparaiso,  and  obtained  fresh  provi- 
sions, including  the  delicious  fruit  of 
those  countries,  which  was  especially 
acceptable  after  they  had  been  denied 
so  long  the  sight  of  such  food. 

They  landed  on  the  Sandwich  Islands 
in  April,  and  were  received  with  Chris- 
tian courtesy  by  the  missionaries  labor- 
ing there. 

As  they  approached  the  Columbia 
River,  every  eye  gazed  intensely  in 
the  direcifon  of  the  foaming  waters 
upon  the  dangerous  rocks  at  its  mouth. 
Soon  the  mist  lifted  up,  and  the  long- 
wished-for  land  was  hailed,  with  sincere 
gratitude  to  Him  who  had  kindly  saved 
them  from  all  the  dangers  of  the  seas. 
Tliey  landed  at  Fort  Vancouver,  June 
1,  1840.  The  hearts  of  the  brethren 
already  there,  who  had  been  so  long 


H-. 


r 


'    M 


14 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


toiling  with  but  few  Christian  associates, 
were  made  glad  at  their  arrival.  Their 
gladness  was  mingled  with  grief,  how- 
ever, while  they  conveyed  to  their 
friends  the  tidings  that  one  of  their 
number,  brother  Cyrus  Shephard,  had 
been  laid  in  the  grave,  after  a  painful 
and  protracted  sickness.  This  brother's 
memoirs  have  been  published  by  the 
Methodist  Sunday-School  Union.*  His 
name  is  the  treasure  of  the  Church. 

The  company  tarried  at  the  Fort 
eleven  days,  during  whidi  tihae  one  of 
the  newly-arrived  company  was  married 
to  the  Rev.  Daniel  Lee,  who  had  been 
six  years  already  engaged  in  this  field 
of  labor.  Here  arrangements  were  made 
^0  distribute  the  company  into  several 
bands,  to  be  seat  to  different  fields  of 
labor.     Some  left  for  Puget  Sound; 

'      •  yo^th's  library,  No.  412.       / 


.Ji 


llll 


THE  VOYAGE  TO  OREGON. 


u 


others  were  appointed  to  the  Willamette 
Valley;  and  still  others  for  the  Cala- 
poosa  country,  far  up  the  Willamette. 
Those  whose  history  we  shall  more 
particularly  follow  were  appointed  to 
the  Dalles  station,  in  Middle  Oregon, 
between  the  President's  Range  and  the 
Rocky  Mountains.  A  pioneer  company 
had  been  laboring  there  for  some  time, 
with  considerable  success.  It  was  an 
important  location,  not  only  for  the  in- 
fluence it  was  expected  the  mission 
would  exert  itpon  the  Indian  tribes,  but 
because  it  lay  in  the  line  of  travel  from 
the  States  to  the  fruitfiil  valley  of  the 
Willamette;  and  it  was  hoped,  there- 
fore, that  the  emigrants  might  also  be 
met,  on  entering  the  country,  with  the 
sound  of  the  gospel. 

We  shall  have  occasion,  in  the  course 
of  these  sketches,  to  describe  the  voyage 


'i, 


16 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


up  the  Columbia  which  our  friends  were 
now  to  make ;  we  will,  therefore,  leave 
them  toiling  to  complete  their  long 
journey,  and  to  find  a  rude  but  com- 
fortable resting  place  in  their  new 
home.  .     ,  . 


m 


lit 


THE  HOME  OF  THE  MISSIONARIES. 

At  the  Dalles  of  the  Columbia  River  the 
missionaries  whose  history  we  are  about 
to  sketch  found  a  rude  but  comfortable 
home.  The  missionary  already  there, 
anticipating  their  arrival  in  the  country, 
hadptarted  down  the  Columbia  to  assist 
them  in  Aheir  journey,  and  fortunately 
met  tbem  just  above  Fort  Vancouver. 
This  mission  station  was  established  in 
1838  by  the  Rev.  D.  Lee  and  the  Rev. 
H.  K.  yi.  Perkms.  It  was  on  the  south 
bank  of  the  Columbia,  two  hundred 


Mtir 


THE  HOME  OF  THE  MISSIONARIES.      1*7 


miles  from  its  mouth,  and  one  hundred 
miles  from  Fort  Vancouver,  the  nearest 
place  of  communication  with  the  white 
inhabitants  of  the  territory.  The  mis- 
sionaries of  the  Willamette  Valley  were 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  off,  and  Dr. 
Whitman,  of  the  American  Board,  one 
hundred  and  tbrty-five  miles. 

The  house  which  our  friends  occupied 
was  erected  at  the  commencement  of 
the  mission,  and  was,  of  course,  a  rough 
abode,  and  built,  even  in  its  rough  style, 
with  much  labor  and  inconvci^lence. 
The  logs  were  brought  by  hand,  with 
the  aid  of  the  Indians,  about  eighty 
rods.  The  boards  for  the  floor  and  ceil- 
ing were  sawed  out  by  hand.  The 
shingles  were  made  twelve  miles  from 
the  spot,  and  brought  on  pack-horses. 
At  first  it  consisted  of  one  room,  but 
now  a  kitchen  and  wood-house   had 


■  ;.; 


f 


?r 


t»,^- 


!:!■ 


I 


T* 


18 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


i 


m 


I 


,!  -.. 


1U 


been  added.  Its  precise  site  was  upon 
the  upper,  south  bank  of  the  Cohimbia, 
about  half  a  mile  from  its  channel.  The 
front  door  of  the  house  opened  toward 
the  river,  in  which  direction  was  a  fine 
yard,  inclosed  by  a  high  wall  of  earth, 
affording  a  pleasant  play-ground  for  the 
children.  From  the  south  end  of  the 
house  the  door  opened  into  a  square  of 
nearly  an  acre  of  ground,  making  a  kind 
of  "common"  or  public  promenade. 
Upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  square, 
on  the  south,  stood  the  church,  a  plain 
log  building;  and  near  it  a  school- 
house,  which,  if  not  beautiful  to  the 
eye  as  many  which  ornament  the  grow- 
ing villages  of  the  States,  was,  to  the 
eye  of  the  Chrisfiauy  very  beautiful. 
On  the  east  was  the  house  of  Mr.  Per- 
kins, who  had  assisted,  as  we  have 
stated,  to  commence  the  mission;  and 


THE  HOME  OF  THE  MISSIONARIES.      10 


opposite  his  residence,  on  the  west,  was 
what  the  missionaries  pleasantly  called 
their  "  civilized  barn,"  because  it  was  in 
the  style  of  those  in  the  settled  parts  of 
the  country.  Near  this  was  a  work- 
shop, which  completed  the  settlement 
of  the  whites.  A  short  distance  from 
the  square  was  a  beautiful  spring  of 
pure  water,  which  the  Indians  called 
"Wasco;"  hence  the  name  "Wasco- 
pam,"  which  sometimes  gave  title  to 
the  mission.  This  spring  irrigated  a 
garden  plot,  from  which,  in  their  season, 
the  mission  families  obtained  their  vege- 
tables. The  vicinity  of  this  station  was 
not  thickly  wooded,  pine  and  oak  grow- 
ing here  and  there.  A  little  further 
west  the  forest  became  dense,  and  to- 
ward the  east  trees  disappeared  alto- 
gether, and  a  succession  of  barren  hills 
rose  in  the  distance. 

2 


h-i 


nr 


'III' 


20 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


!■ 


i»: 


5;     I 


||1  '-I 
.•) 

1 
I 

i-  '! 
■til  il 

r 


From  this  beautiful  location  the  Co- 
lumbia could  be  seen,  three  miles 
above  and  six  below ;  the  lofty  summits 
of  Mount  Adams  and  of  Mount  Hood 
were  in  full  view,  on  the  north ;  and, 
by  going  a  mile  to  a  more  elevated 
position,  nine  snow-covered  summits  of 
the  President's  Range  could  be  seen. 

In  this  spot,  made  beautiful  by  na- 
ture, but  around  which  savage  man  had 
his  "habitations  of  cruelty,"  because 
sitting  in  moral  night,  our  missionary 
friends  began  their  labor.  They  had 
not  chosen  this  far-off  home  in  the 
wilderness  to  amass  wealth,  nor  to  grati- 
fy a  spirit  of  adventure.  They  had  left 
dear  friends  and  valued  Christian  privi- 
leges, and  willingly  made  the  untaught 
Indians  their  neighbors,  that  they  might 
teach  them  a  Saviour's  love.  It  must 
not  be  thought  that  they  ne\evfelt  their 


l!!:r 


CLIMATE  AND  SOIL. 


M 


loneliness, — ^that  they  never  thought  of 
the  loved  ones  under  the  paternal  roof. 
The  society  of  the  red  man  is  at  all 
times  cheerless,  because  of  his  degrada- 
tion; and  sometimes  alarming^  as  will 
be  seen  in  the  course  of  these  sketches. 
But  when  God,  as  he  graciously  did, 
owned  their  labors,  and  the  wilderness 
was,  in  any  measurcy  made  to  "  bud  and 
blossom,"  then  did  they  rejoice  that 
they  were  counted  worthy  to  suffer 
such  things  for  Christ's  sake. 


jit 


:\ 


I 


CLIMATE  AND  SOIL. 


f*' 


(>' 


1 5     i     •  f 


The  climate  of  Oregon  is  much  milder 
than  that  in  the  states  of  the  same  lati- 
tude. In  the  Willamette  Valley  the 
warm  season  is  very  dry;  there  is  no 
rain   sometimes   for   a   period   of  six 


22 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


:!| 


¥ 


M 


months.  The  winters  are  very  rainy. 
The  climate,  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  further  from  the  ocean,  is  differ- 
ent. The  vicinity  of  mountainous  re- 
gions, where  the  snow  never  wholly 
disappears,  has  an  influence  in  making 
the  evenings  cool  and  the  air  always 
clear  and  agreeable.  For  six  months 
the  sky  is  seldom  mantled  with  a  cloud : 
the  heavens  seem  continually  to  smile, 
and  the  earth  to  be  glad.  The  winters 
are  colder  than  on  the  sea-coast,  and  for 
two  months  there  is  some  snow.  The 
spring  rains  suffice  for  the  winter  wheat, 
which  will  come  to  maturity  without 
further  watering;  but  corn,  potatoes, 
and  most  garden  vegetables  require  ir- 
rigation. 

The  soil  in  the  Willamette  Valley  is 
excellent,  especially  for  wheat.  A  farm- 
er of  that  country  assured  the  mission- 


m 

ii'ii 


CLIMATE  AND  SOIL. 


23 


ary  that  he  sowed  ten  bushels  of  wheat 
on  ten  acres,  and  gathered  more  than 
fifty  bushels  from  each  acre. 

The  land  of  the  prairies  is  not  rich, 
though  it  produces  in  abundance  what  is 
called  the  bui&lo  grass. 

The  trees  of  Oregon  are  very  large, 
and  very  beautiful.  The  fir-tree  lifts 
its  head  among  the  clouds,  while  the 
cedar  expends  its  ambition  in  expanding 
its  trunk  to  a  remarkable  size.  Even 
the  black  alder,  which  in  most  parts  of 
New-England  is  a  dimunitive  tree,  in 
Oregon  affords  the  farmer  material  for 
twenty  rails  from  one  butt. 

The  farms  of  the  missionaries  were 
made  to  produce,  by  industry  and  skill, 
a  good  supply  of  the  necessaries  of  the 
table  for  themselves,  and  for  the  many 
demands  upon  their  hospitality  which 
were  made  by  the  Indians  and  the  emi- 


P 


' 


i.    i! 


ll 


i»  * 


'  m 


1 1 


II!  !i 


I 


m 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


grants.  Those  who  are  now  settling  in 
Oregon,  and  are  cultivating  the  soil, 
under  the  superior  advantages  of  an  in- 
creased and  increasing  population,  find 
it  a  country  favorable  for  agricultural 
purposes.  It  is  fast  becoming  the  New- 
England  of  the  Pacific  shore.  Though 
it  does  not  yield  its  treasures  without 
toil,  yet  it  repays  diligent  cultivation. 
May  its  lofty  mountains,  its  majestic 
rivers,  and  its  far-extending  prairies, 
smile  upon  a  peculation  of  intelligent 
and  virtuous  men! 


PERPLEXITIES  OF  HOUSEKEEPING. 

Having  become  somewhat  settled  in 
their  new  home,  the  missionaries  very 
soon  began  to  learn  the  peculiarities  of 
their  situation.     Besides  the  inconven- 


PERPLEXITIES  OF  HOUSEKEEPING.     26 


iences  which  were  inseparable  from  a 
new  country,  the  housekeeper  found 
one  unthought  of  and  annoying.  In- 
dians thronged  the  house.  They  came 
early  and  often,  and  were  seldom  in  a 
hurry  to  depart.  They  expected  to  be 
treated  with  something  to  eat,  at  any 
time.  In  the  absence  of  presents  of 
food  they  became  morose  and  prejudiced. 
They  thus  increased  the  difficulty  of 
performing  the  domestic  labor  of  the 
household,  as  welLlias  added  to  its 
amount.  It  was  found  necessary,  there- 
fore, in  order  to  have  a  suitable  degree 
of  family  quiet  and  rest,  to  fasten,  at 
times,  the  doors.  A  well-known  rap 
from  any  of  its  members  would  cause 
them  to  be  opened.  But  to  persevere 
in  keeping  the  doors  shut  required  at 
times  no  little  resolution  and  firmness : 
the  visitors  would  rattle  them  violently, 


m 


] 


•ir 


•t 


II 


IN 

ii'li  I 


..:    MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 

rap  at  the  v^indows,  and  perhaps  shout 
for  admittance;  feeling  no  less  deter- 
mined to  enter  because  they  understood 
their  calls  would  not  then  be  agreeable. 
At  one  time,  the  housekeeper,  being 
pressed  with  her  domestic  duties,  closed 
her  doors  to  pursue  them  without  inter- 
ruption. Her  hands  were  in  the  dough 
of  which  she  was  preparing  her  bread. 
At  that  untimely  moment  an  Indian 
chief  laid  his  hand  upon  the  latch, — 
there  was  no  admission.  Was  he  not  a 
chief,  and  should  he  be  shut  out,  like 
common  Indians?  He  was  indignant. 
The  unusual  noise  that  he  made  brought 
the  missionary  toward  one  of  the  win- 
dows, her  hands  in  no  plight  to  receive 
a  visitor.  The  window  was  let  down  at 
the  top,  a  short  distance.  At  the  open- 
ing was  the  swarthy,  angry-looking  face 
of  an  uncommonly  hideous-looking  In- 


■3 


UNCOMFORTABLE  NEIGHBORS. 

dian ;  his  feet  resting  on  the  sill  and  his 
hands  on  the  top  of  the  window.  In  a 
moment,  and  with  great  adroitness,  he 
glided  in  at  the  opening,  and  landed  at 
the  feet  of  the  housekeeper.  A  little 
explanation,  and  something  to  eat,  re- 
moved his  angry  feelings,  and  the  aflfe-ir 
passed  off  without  further  annoyance. 

Thus  patience,  unceasing  toil,  and 
great  wisdom  were  necessary  in  order  to 
become,  in  a  proper  degree,  all  things  to 
these  savage  men,  that  they  might  be 
won  to  God. 


:        ■• 


vr 


'.;*! 


UNCOMFORTABLE  NEIGHBORS. 

The  Indians,  as  we  have  informed  our 
readers,  were  not  always  agreeable  neigh- 
bors, but  of  this  the  missionaries  did  not 
complain.     They  came  among  them  be- 


■[  s 


m 


28 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


M! 


»<: 


ill! 


Wl'i'l 


cause  they  were  wild  and  untaught,  that, 
by  the  blessing  of  God,  thsy  might  be- 
come of  another  spirit.  But  they  were 
soon  made  acquainted  with  some  unwel- 
come neighbors,  which  could  not  be 
taught.  The  vicinity  abounded  with 
rattlesnakes.  They  were  short,  of  a 
spotted  color,  slow  in  their  movements, 
and  easily  killed.  Neither  was  their 
poison  so  deadly  as  that  of  most  of  their 
species.  The  exposure  of  the  children 
of  the  mission  to  them  was  the  greatest 
cause  of  alarm  they  gave.  ;. 

There  was  a  large  rock  near  the  sta- 
tion. Under  it  and  in  its  crevices  lived 
a  teeming  population  of  these  reptiles. 
In  the  cool  of  the  evening,  persons 
walking'that  way  were  quite  sure  to  be 
startled  by  the  sight  of  them. 

At  one  time,  a  female  missionary 
found  one  in  her  sleeping  room.     On 


UNCOMFORTABLE  NEIGHBORS.         29 


another  occasion,  taking  from  its  place 
a  kettle,  to  put  it  on  the  fire,  a  rattle- 
snake was  found  cozily  coiled  up 
within.        •  -'      *'   ' 

The  Indians  have  a  superstitious  re- 
spect for  these  snakes.  They  never 
kill  them.  They  say,  if  thej'  should, 
the  "tamanas,"  or  spirit  of  the 
murdered  snake,  prompts  his  living 
friends  to  revenge  his  death  by  biting 
his  destroyer.  The  missionaries  once 
saw  an  Indian  occupying  one  part  of  a 
lodge,  and  a  rattlesnake  the  other,  on 
the  most  friendly  terms.  But  they  did 
not  feel  it  a  duty  to  be  thus  forbearing 
and  friendly  themselves;  on  the  con- 
trary, by  every  possible  method,  they 
endeavored  to  rid  their  premises  of 
these  disagreeable  neighbors. 


*' 


<!-. 


:| 


1 


.1 


\i 


in 

"f 

r 


■ 


i 


if 


li     w 


I    H 


li 


!•     :*l',t 


Jl'i  -I 

ill ; 


n 


30  MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 

EVENING  WOLVES.        "  .'  '' 

Among  the  many  perils  to  which  the 
apostle  was  subjected  were  "perils  in 
the  wilderness."  Those  who  go  among 
savage  men^  to  preach  Christ,  are  often 
called  to  encounter  savage  beasts. 
Those  of  my  readers  who  have  read 
Moffat's  "  Southern  Africa "  will  recol- 
lect the  many  narrow  escapes  that  in- 
trepid servant  of  Christ  had  from  the 
lions  which  prowled  about  the  habita- 
tions of  those  whose  salvation  he  sought. 
We  find,  among  the  records  firom  which 
we  draw  these  sketches,  accounts  of 
perils  in  the  unbroken  forests  through 
which  the  emigrants  and  missionaries 
had  to  travel.  We  present  examples  to 
the  reader  to  help  to  make  up  a  true 
picture  of  missionary  life.     True,  the 


EVENING  WOLVES. 


31 


man  of  God,  who  counts  not  his  life 
dear  unto  him,  esteems  these  exposures 
no  great  cross ;  but  the  Christian,  who 
tarries  amid  the  securities  of  a  gospel 
land,  will  realize,  while  reading  of  them, 
that  they  are  crosses  in  comparison  with 
what  he  endures  for  Christ.  >   i 

The  prairie  and  forest  wolf  are  com- 
mon animals  in  Oregon.  As  the  shades 
of  the  evening  gather  over  the  forests, 
they  come  forth  from  their  retreats,  and 
their  dismal  howlings  are  heard  in  the 
distance.  If  pressed  with  hunger,  they 
will  attack  almost  any  animal.  When 
about  to  attack  a  horse,  a  pack  of  the 

• 

large  wolves  select  the  fattest  of  the 
drove,  set  up  a  fearful  yelling,  and  com- 
mence the  pursuit.  One  after  another 
of  the  pack  may  be  left  in  the  rear,  but 
a  few  hold  out  in  the  race,  until  they 
succeed  in  biting  the  legs  of  the  ex- 


If' 


hi 


'it- 


a  if; 


mm 


n 


32 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


■ii! 


:i 


::'1 


1» 

' 

ilili  : 

■   H 
'■;; 

t 

':'■ 

1 

1 

') 

i! 

1 

i 

1 
\ 

i 

ijiil 

■ 

i 

II 

II 

t  i' 

i 

ti 

hausted  victim,  and  he  falls,  panting 
and  mutilated,  into  the  ferocious  jaws 
of  his  pursuers.  v 

The  deer  is  the  frequent  victim  of 
their  cruelty.  At  one  time,  a  deer, 
nearly  exhausted,  with  his  implacable 
enemies  close  at  his  heels,  came  in 
sight  of  the  missionary  station.  As  if 
aware  of  its  peaceful  character,  he  turn- 
ed, leaped  the  inclosures,  and  took  his 
place  among  the  cattle  in  the  yard. 
The  wolves,  with  a  fierce  howl  of  disap- 
pointment, were  obliged  to  give  up  their 
prey.  The  missionaries  could  not  vio- 
late the  righ^  of  hospitality :  they  fed 
and  comforted  their  frightened  and 
weary  guest,  and,  the  danger  being 
passed,  bid  him  go  in  peace.        f^ 

A  person,  for  some  time  a  member 
of  the  mission  family,  returned,  on  one 
occasion,  from  the  lower  settlement  on 


■J 


EVENING  WOLVES. 


33 


the  Willamette,  to  his  own  residence, 
fifty  miles  up  the  river,  through  a  forest 
of  heavy  timber.  The  day  closed,  and 
the  night  overtook  him  in  the  midst  of 
the  woods.  His  ears  were  saluted  by 
the  intimidating  howl  of  the  wolves,  at 
first  seeming  to  come  from  their  distant 
coverts,  then  growing  louder  and  nearer. 
His  horse  instinctively  apprehended  the 
danger,  and  put  forth  his  utmost  exer- 
tions in  the  flight;  but  the  pursuers 
gained  on  him  rapidly,  and  he  soon  per- 
ceived that  the  only  chance  of  safety 
was  to  abandon  his  horse,  and  ascend  a 
tree.  This  he  did  with  all  expedition, 
taking  his  saddle  with  him,  and  tying 
his  horse  at  the  foot, — scarcely  daring 
to  hope  that  he  would  escape  the  hun- 
gry jaws  of  the  savage  beasts.  Putting 
his  saddle  astride  an  extended  limb,  he 
sat  upon  it,  and  lashed  himself  to  the 


1 
ll 


ii; 


hi 


ill 


It      ;> 
^'     III 


"I 


:i'  "1 


f 


\r: 


%m 


m 


34 


MISSION-  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


!!■ 


body  of  the  tree.  Looking  around,  the 
moment  he  began  to  feel  himself  secure, 
for  some  means  of  protecting  his  horse, 
he  found  he  had  left  his  gun  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  tree. 

The  wolves,  however,  feared  to  ap- 
proach, or  were  providentially  attracted 
by  some  more  easy  prey.  They  left 
the  missionary  to  watch  away  the  tedi- 
ous night,  which  he  did  in  no  very  quiet 
mood;  and  descended  at  the  approach 
of  day,  and  pursued  his  journey. 
.  At  another  time  this  same  brother 
was  in  more  imminent  danger.  He 
was  on  foot,  and  being  overtaken  by 
the  darkness  in  the  forest,  the  wolves 
were  soon  in  hot  pursuit.  He  ran  with 
his  utmost  speed,  calling  aloud  for  help. 
He  heard  the  panting  of  his  hungry 
enemies,  just  behind ;  but  his  call  had 
alarmed  the  inmates  of  a  house,  fortu- 


EVENING  WOLVES.    ■ 


85 


nately  near.  The  only  one  at  hand,  to 
run  to  his  rescue,  was  a  woman,  who, 
in  her  haste,  seized  a  cooper's  compass, 
and  sallied  forth  to  his  assistance.  The 
light,  probably,  of  a  human  habitation, 
more  than  the  woman,  intimidated  the 
wolves,  and  they  retired.  Thus  was 
the  kind  providence  of  God  again  ap- 
parent in  the  preservation  of  his 
servant. 

We  know  that  such  exposures  are  no 
more  than  men  endure  to  gratify  a  spirit 
of  adventure,  or  to  satisfy  a  thirst  for 
gold;  but  when  they  are  voluntarily 
borne,  "in  weariness  and  painfulness, 
in  watchings  often,  in  hunger  and  thirst, 
in  cold  and  nakedness,"  "not  for  filthy 
lucre's  sake,  but  of  a  ready  mind,"  it 
becomes  a  matter  of  deep  interest  to 
Christians.  We  follow  the  servant  of 
God  through  such  scenes,  and  believe 


1  <■ 


ill 

km 


n 


111  ^'1  '* 


*,. 


'•=^n 


il      i 


"IN/o 


!  ife 


¥»^ 


86 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


that  his  trials  will  turn  out,  in  God's 
overruling  providence,  to  the  further- 
ance of  the  gospel. 


EMIGRANTS  TO  OREGON. 

The  station  of  our  missionaries  lay  in 
the  traveled  route  from  the  United 
States  to  the  Willamette  Valley.  Every 
year  the  number  of  emigrants  became 
larger,  and  their  demands  upon  the 
hospitality  and  assistance  of  the  mis- 
sionaries greater.  In  1843,  wagons, 
for  the  first  time,  were  used  through 
the  whole  distance.  Previously  they 
had  been  left  at  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
The  first  successful  experiment  to  bring 
them  further  was  made  by  the  lamented 
Dr.  Whitman,  a  missionary  of  the  Amer- 
ican Board.     During  that  year,  three 


i 


EMIGRANTS  TO  OREGON. 


37 


thousand  persons  passed  over  this  route 
to  the  Pacific  shore.  They  consisteJ 
of  men,  women,  and  children — from  the 
old  man  to  the  infant  born  on  the  way. 
In  one  family  were  eight  children.  They 
had  started  from  their  former  home  in 
fine  health  and  spirits,  for  a  new  home, 
yet  to  be  prepared  in  the  forests  of  the 
Willamette  Valley.  The  parents  were 
taken  sick  upon  the  road,  died,  and 
were  laid  in  rude  graves  by  their  com- 
panions in  travel.  The  orphaned  chil- 
dren were  left  to  the  compassion  of 
strangers  to  aid  them  in  performing  the 
yet  difficult  and  long  journey.  The 
watchful  providence  of  Him  who  will 
not  let  the  raven  cry  in  vain,  and  whose 
ear  is  ever  open  to  the  orphan's  prayer, 
was  over  them.  Dr.  Whitman  took 
them  into  his  own  family,  and  became 
to  them  a  father  and  religious  teacher. 


[ 


tu 


J 


I':    Ji- 


¥ 


"(  •: 


I 


38 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


The  toil  and  privations  of  the  over- 
land route  were,  at  this  time,  very- 
great.  During  one  year  twenty  died. 
When  these  emigrants  arrived  at  the 
missionary  station,  they  were,  of  course, 
greatly  rejoiced  to  behold,  after  having 
been  familiar  so  long  with  nothing  but 
Indian  encampments,  the  habitation  of 
white  men.  They  were  often  very 
destitute,  and,  in  most  cases,  taxed 
heavily  the  kindness  of  their  Christian 
friends,  who  were  not  by  any  means 
abundantly  supplied  with  the  conveni- 
ences or  even  the  necessities  of  life. 
But  they  made  great  exertions,  toiling 
hard  early  and  late,  and  sacrificing  often 
their  own  little  comforts,  to  aid  the 
suffering. 

The  year  1846  brought  with  it  inci- 
dents, in  connection  with  the  emigrants, 
which  made  a  deep  impression  on  the 


EMIGRANTS  TO  OREGON. 


30 


minds  of  the  missionaries.  One  party, 
of  two  hundred  and  tweny-five  i/vagons, 
engaged  a  man  as  a  guide  who  had 
been  a  trapper  in  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
and  pretended  to  possess  gr^at  knowl- 
edge of  the  country.  It  was  subse- 
quently supposed  that  he  was  hired,  by 
some  persons  interested,  to  guide  them 
to  the  head  waters  of  the  Willamette, 
far  away  from  their  purposed  place  of 
settlement.  Professing  to  lead  them 
through  a  new  and  nearer  route,  they 
became  entangled  in  the  forest,  lost 
their  way,  exhausted  their  provisions, 
so  as  to  be  driven  to  the  necessity  of 
killing  cattle  which  were  worn  down 
with  labor  and  disease ;  this  brought  on 
fever,  and  many  of  them  died.  The 
survivors  arrived  at  the  mission  station, 
subjects  of  unspeakable  distress.  Some 
were  sick,  and  ready  to  die;    others 


40 


I ;.  ;  -^ 


!!.  1; 


».i    I'll 
A>  1  ^ 


;si  i 


m^ 


]' 


1!!  ,11!. 


llM' 


i;m  I 


% 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


bore,  with  exhausted  steps,  the  corpses 
of  deceased  friends.  One  father  had 
left,  in  a  lonely  gmve,  his  eldest  son, 
and  brought  the  body  of  another  dear 
child,  who  had  just  died,  to  be  interred 
with  Christian  rites  and  the  sympathy 
of  Christian  men.  The  mother  of  these 
children  was,  in  the  mean  time,  borne 
along  by  her  grief-oppressed  husband 
upon  a  bed  of  extreme  sickness  and 
pain.  She,  it  is  believed,  lived  to  see 
a  comfortable  home  reared  on  the  banks 
of  the  Willamette ;  but  a  home  made 
sad  by  the  absence  of  those  who  were 
to  have  been  its  lights,  and  the  source 
of  parental  pride  and  happiness.  Such 
is  life ;  but  such  is  not  heaven,  where 
tears  shall  never  flow,  because  sin  can 
never  enter. 

Another  case  in  this  company  was 
peculiarly  afflicting.     A  husband  buried, 


EMIGRANTS  TO  OREGON. 


41 


after  he  arrived  at  the  mission,  his  wife 
and  infant  child.  The  mother  was  a  wor- 
thy member  of  the  Methodist  Church, 
and  died  in  great  peace. 

These  circumstances  of  course  brought 
a  great  addition  to  the  responsibility 
and  labor  of  our  missionaries.  While 
they  did  all  they  could  for  the  bodies  of 
the  sufferers,  they  were  enabled  also  to 
administer  to  the  healing  of  their  souls, 
and  to  sow  some  precious  seed,  which 
they  trust,  under  the  Holy  Spirit,  bore 
fruit  unto  eternal  life.  < 

The  moral  influence  of  the  emigrants 
upon  the  Indians  was  generally  very 
bad,  rendering  more  difficult  all  exer- 
tions to  bring  them  under  the  influence 
of  Christianity.  The  white  men,  usually 
well  armed,  and  in  considerable  compa- 
nies, were  too  often  oppressive  and  ex- 
acting of  the  red  men,  who,  destitute 


,1 


p 


X  t; 


! 

\  ■ 


\-  ■ 


if!  ^ 


■n 


\\ 


\\' 


I 


II' 


le  ii>' 


111  ■ 


'Si  . 


•:i      i; 


I'll.,  (: 


:|       I    i; 


;  '■'] 


42 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


and  ignorant,  were  disposed  to  steal  on 
every  fiivorable  occasion.  In  one  case, 
a  notorious  gambler  and  his  associates 
had  their  horses  stolen  by  two  Indians. 
They  pursued,  overtook  them,  and,  hav- 
ing first  recovered  the  horses,  killed  the 
thieves.  These  cases  of  cruelty,  with 
the  repeated  instances  of  fraud  practiced 
upon  them  by  the  white  men,  were  no 
small  hinderance  to  the  introductio:  cl 
the  gospel  among  these  heathen.  Yet 
did  the  missionaries  not  despair.  The 
Spirit  of  God  was  their  ground  of  hope. 
He  could  and  did  cause  the  wronged 
red  man  to  feel  his  enlightening  power, 
though  this  truth  was  made  to  appear 
as  a  lie,  in  the  character  of  those  who 
had  received  most  freely  his  gracious 
influence. 

The  toils  occasioned  by  the  circum- 
stances we  have  above  narrated  brought 


\['X 


,« 


B.(i 


ADROIT  BEGGARS. 


of  the 


family 


4d 


bed 


missionar 

of  severe  sickness.  Yet  how  could  such 
self-destroying  labor  have  been  avoided  ? 
Truly,  a  martyr's  crown  must  be  theirs 
who  thus  fall !  How  much  better  thus 
to  die  than  to  live  in  ease  amid  the 
luxuries  of  the  Church  in  Christian 
lands,  never  oflFering  a  cup  of  cold  water 
even  to  Christ,  in  the  person  of  his  sutfer- 
ing  children! 


'  (    1 


■X 


ADROIT  BEGGARS. 

One  of  the  first  sources  of  trial  to  the 
missionary,  among  the  Indians,  is  their 
persevering  and  teasing  spirit  of  beg- 
ging. Scarcely  were  our  friends  settled 
in  their  new  home  when  they  had  a  trial 
of  this  kind ;  and,  as  it  was  a  good  ex- 
ample of  what  was  constantly  occurring, 


h- 


f 


I 

i 

u 

v.): 
*■' ' 

If" 


V 

'I; 


li^j 


, 


'Hi) 

ir 


111 

■  i 


l(|'i  if 


!!,-.  I 


I'  i 


ii'        I 


i        I 


"•1 


i^l! 


iili 


^1;: 


44 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


we  present  it  as  an  illustration  of  the 
Indian  character  in  this  respect. 

A  large,  muscular  man,  well  able  to 
hunt  game,  to  fish,  to  fell  trees,  to  clear 
land,  or  in  almost  any  way  to  support 
himself  and  family  by  honest  labor, 
appeared  at  the  mission  house,  one 
iL(  'ag,  early,  and  first  requested  a 
breakiist.  This  was  the  practice  of  the 
beggars.  His  air  was  very  gracious, 
mixed  with  the  ludicrously  solemn. 

Having  satisfied  his  appetite,  he  com- 
menced:  "0,  Mr.  B ,  I  no  come 

here  for  nothing, — business  very  great. 
I  come  a  great  ways  on  purpose."  Then 
standing  erect,  and  exhibiting  a  misera- 
ble blanket,  his  only  covering,  when 
perhaps  he  had  left  a  good  supply  of 
clothing  at  home,  he  would  exclaim, 
"  See,  me  no  got  coat,"  at  the  same 
time  grasping  his  brawny  arm  in  his 


ADROIT  BEGGARS. 


45 


hand ;  "  and  me  no  got  pants/'  showing 
his  uncovered  leg.  "  Me  poor,  0,  very 
po(  ** !"  Then,  with  admirable  tact  and 
feigned  sincerity,  he  began  to  flatter: 

"  Mr.  B ,  you  are  a  man — a  great 

man.  You  are  a  man  of  great  heart. 
You  are  a  great  chief,  I  hear  of  your 
greatness  and  generosity  before  you 
arrive  in  this  country.  You  are  greater 
and  better  than  all  the  other  mission- 
aries. You  love  poor  Indian,  and  have 
come  to  do  them  good;  and  I  have 
come  to  get  my  wants  supplied." 

An  entire  outfit  was  the  object  of  his 
first  effort ;  but  he  was  prepared  to  re- 
cede somewhat  from  the  extent  of  his 
demand.  Not  meeting  with  a  favorable 
response,  he  began  to  say,  "A  coat, 
only  a  coat, — a  pair  of  pants, — a  vest." 
Again,  measuring  his  request  by  the 
amount  of  encouragement,  he  pleaded 


H 


■'I 

: 
f 


Ji'f 


II 


I 

ifl 


i 


( '■'■>A 


-1  ■»*■■ 


,1 

'i 
I 


111-: 


MI  I 


I  '•'  , 


li. /ii 


46 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


for  a  handkerchief  or  a  pair  of  socks. 
Not  succeeding  with  the  husband,  he 
turned  to  the  wife :  "  My  wife  tell  me 
to  tell  you  she  want  a  dress;"  and 
moderating  his  demand  in  the  same 
way,  he  finally  urged  his  suit  for  a  dress 
for  the  poor  little  child,  whose  clothes 
"  are  bad,  0,  very  bad !" 

He  was  at  last  pacified  in  some  meas- 
ure with  a  small  piece  of  soap  and  a 
few  pieces  of  sewing  thread.  He  then 
went  to  the  other  missionary,  to  go  over 
the  same  story, — complaining  that  Mr. 

B was  "  mean."    He  had  "  a  little 

heart, — ^^0,  a  very  small  heart,  no  bigger 
than  a  flea !" 

Such  was  the  constant  habit  of  these 
untaught  savages.  The  means  of  the 
missionaries,  at  this  period  especially, 
even  for  supplying  their  own  wants, 
were  limited,  and  they  possessed  but 


TREATMENT  OF  THE  SICK. 


it 


very  little  to  bestow  in  charity.  But, 
even  if  they  had  had  more,  their  judg- 
ment forbade  them  answering  such  calls, 
which  grew  out  of  an  idle  desire  to  ob- 
tain, rather  than  from  necessity.  The 
missionaries  aimed  rather  to  teach  them 
habits  of  industry,  by  which  they  could 
supply  their  own  wants.  But  it  re- 
quired much  patience  to  bear  with  their 
importunity,  and  to  refuse,  and  yet  not 
oiTend  so  as  to  prejudice  them  against 
the  gospel. 


TREATMENT  OF  THE  SICK. 

Indian  tradition  says  that  "Talipaz," 
that  is  the  "Prairie  Wolf,"  was  the 
creator  of  all  things.  "  Yes,"  the  In- 
dians exclaim,  "  he  made  the  Columbia, 
and  all  the  rivers, — the  mountains,  the 


i 


:  '! 


i 


m 


I 


5  (it 


flUi  ^ 


w 

m 

m 


i'f 


I  i^;     \ 


ill 


I  m./ii 


■^1: 


48 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


forests,  the  buffalo,  and  even  the  In- 
dians. From  his  Mood  came  the  Cay- 
use;  from  his  heart  came  the  Lion- 
Hearted  tribe;  from  his  arm  the 
Chenwook;  and  from  various  parts  of 
his  body  came  all  the  tribes."  It  is 
not  strange,  therefore,  that  even  now 
they  treat  Talipaz  with  much  tender- 
ness. He  may  come  and  go,  if  he  does 
not  attack  them,  without  molestation: 
even  their  dogs,  which  much  resemble 
the  wolf,  being  doubtless  possessed  of 
some  wolf  blood,  they  treat  with  great 
respect,  on  account  of  their  supposed 
relationship  to  Talipaz. 

When  a  young  man  wishes  to  become 
distinguished,  he  goes  out  at  night, — 
perhaps  some  night  when  the  clouds 
overhang  the  sky, — and  an  awful  mys- 
tery seems  to  enshroud  the  object  of 
his   adventure.      He  claims   to   meet 


! 


TREATMENT  OF  THE  SICK. 


49t 


either  Talipaz  or  his  spirit.  Sometimes 
he  says,  "  Tamanawas,"  that  is,  a 
moving  spirit  of  power,  *^came  upon 
me."  He  now  knows  what  is  to  befall 
him,  or  he  vainly  thinks,  in  his  super- 
stition, he  knows  more  than  common 
mortals.  He  claims  to  be  a  great 
"  medicine  man ;"  and,  strange  enough, 
his  people  allow  his  claim ! 

"  William,"  said  the  missionary  to  an 
unusually  intelligent  boy  of  the  mission 
family,  "why  do  your  people  believe 
that  the  ^medicine  men'  can  kill  or 
cure,  just  as  they  please  ?" 

"  0,  •  they  caw,"  answered  William, 
with  a  look  of  immovable  gravity ;  "  cer- 
tainly they  can." 

"  How  can  it  be,  William  ?" 

"  0,  Tamanawas  has  given  them  the 
power.  Now,  if  you  give  the  great 
medicine  man,  Kladicula,  two  blankets, 


'J 


I    ■■  !', ' 


il'-: 


llrl 


i:  .1 


I  'K 


'in 


p  ij  ■' 


rt 


i 


'A  I 


f 


'f\m     M  \ 


50 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


and    say,    ^  Kill    Tumeocool/   he    will 

doit." 

.   "Yes,"  said  the  teacher,  "he  may 

tomahawk  or  shoot  him." 

"  Ah,  no ;  he  will  not  go  near  him : 
may  be  he  will  not  see  him.  By  and 
by  Tumeocool  feels  sick,  0,  ver^  sick ; 
then  he  lays  down,  and  pretty  soon 
Tumeocool  is  dead,  dead;'*  and  he 
emphasized  the  last  word  in  a  way 
which  showed  that,  to  his  mind,  there 
were  no  doubts  about  it. 

"Do  not  the  *  medicines'  pretend 
this,  to  cheat  the  poor  Indians?"  said 
the  missionary ;  "  and  to  cause  them  to 
feia:  them,  that  they  may  more  easily 
get  their  blankets  and  guns  ?" 

"  Ah  no !"  said  William,  thoughtfully ; 
"  they  are  true  medicines." 

So  powerfully  does  ignorance  keep 
the  red  man  a  slave  to  imposition. 


J:i:i* 


TREATMENT  OF  THE  SICK. 


51 


Having  shown  the  source  of  the  pre- 
tended power  of  the  Indian  doctors,  we 
will  now  illustrate,  by  a  few  interesting 
facts,  the  manner  in  which  they  treat 
the  sick.         '  ;/         '    .  ;         / 

Having,  for  some  time,  heard  much 
of  the  management  of  the  impostors, 
but  never  having  seen  for  themselves, 
our  missionaries  went,  one  day,  to  the 
lodge  of  a  sick  man,  who  had  sent  for  a 
"  medicine,"  who  .  was  already  there. 
After  an  examination,  he  shook  his 
head,  and  said,  dolefully,  "Sick,  very 
sick.  Tamanawas  is  destroying  your 
vitals.'*  Then  looking  meaningly  around, 
he  added,  "  Of  what  use  are  vour  blank- 
ets,  your  guns,  and  your  horses  ? — ^you 
die  soon.  Give  me  three  blankets,  then 
I  kill  Tamanawas,  and  you  get  well." 

The  appeal,  as  usual,  succeeded,  ?-nd 

the  blankets  being  promised,  the  con- 

4 


ml' 


I   I 

I!    (;■' 
I 


|iH 


rl 


¥  :,J! 

i| '  .  'I'M 


'I  ,   ''li 


» 


62 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


jurer  commenced  his  demoniac  cere- 
mony. The  sick  man's  friends  were 
seated  on  one  side  of  the  lodge,  with  a 
board  before  them,  upon  which  they 
commenced  beating,  and  joining  with 
the  doctor  in  a  low,  indescribable  wail ; 
while  he,  upon  his  knees,  was  throwing 
his  body  into  all  manner  of  contortions. 
He  was  without  clothes,  except  a  nar- 
row strip  of  cloth  about  his  loins,  and 
seemed  prepared  for  a  desperate  strug- 
gle. Suddenly  throwing  himself  '  »n 
the  sick  man,  he  commenced  sucking  at 
the  pit  of  his  stomach,  as  if  he  would 
devour  instead  of  cure ;  then  starting 
off  a  little  distance,  he  gave  a  desperate 
bound  upon  him.  Now  commenced  a 
frantic  struggle,  as  if  the  Tamanawas 
was  contending  hard  for  the  mastery, 
while  the  conjurer  feigned  an  impossi- 
bility of  extricating  himself.  Two  strong 


•! 


TREATMENT  OF  THE  SICK. 


55 


men  went  to  his  relief,  and  removed  him 
by  force.  Breaking  away  from  them, 
he  sprang  for  some  water,  into  which 
he  thrust  his  closed  hand,  which  con- 
tained the  Tamanawas,  wrested  from 
the  sick  man,  and  now  drowned. 

The  missionaries  looked  in  vain  to 
see  anything,  either  in  his  hand  or  in 
the  water.  He  now  shrieked  at  the 
top  of  his  voice,  and  his  friends  shouted 
in  triumph,  and  proclaimed  the  victory 
complete. 

Though  thus  successful,  in  their  own 
estimation,  in  this  first  effort,  the  same 
ceremony  was  performed  over  this  man 
every  day,  for  six  months;  and  he 
finally  lived,  in  spite  of  the  desperate 
remedy. 

If  the  sick  man  recovers,  the  doctor 
retains  his  fee ;  but  if  he  dies  it  is  re- 
turned, and  the  medicine  man  is  fortu- 


■ll: 


'■ 


I 


\t, 


^1 

r . , .  ■ 


i^i 


;l 


!■;  u 


m 


m 
it  ill 

ill 

1^1 


.1 ! 


ii*'  Iff 


i  *' 


^■■■'* 


III 


II 


ii'$ 


'i>  Mil 

m 


,1  m 


I'll 


ff^' 


56 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


nate  if  his  life  is  not  taken  by  the 
friends  of  the  deceased.  In  fact,  the 
Indians  make  a  kind  of  virtue  of  killing 
their  doctors,  so  that  but  few  assume 
this  character. 

The  following  illustration  of  this  prac- 
tice of  murder  occurred  at  the  Dalls 
mission  station.  The  parties  were 
known  to  the  missionaries.  A  neigh- 
bor fell  into  a  rapid  decline,  probably  a 
quick  consumption,  and  died.  His 
friends,  after  his  burial,  began  to  throw 
the  responsibility  of  his  death  upon  an 
old  doctor,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Columbia,  though  he  had  liot  even  seen 
the  deceased  man.  As  there  is  no 
reason  nor  compassion  in  ignorance  and 
superstition,  one  of  the  friends  of  the 
deceased,  urged  on  by  blind  passion, 
took  his  gun,  crossed  the  river,  shot 
the  unoffending  man  in  his  wigwam, 


TREATMENT  OF  THE  SICK. 

and    returned,    boasting    of   his    foul 
deed. 

Though  the  ceremony  above  described 
is  the  principal  mode  adopted  by  the 
Indians  in  their  medical  practice,  yet  it 
is  not  the  only  one.  They  have  a  com- 
mon and  curious  kind  of  preventive  as 
well  as  cure  of  sickness.  In  every  vil- 
lage there  is,  at  least,  one  sioeating  oven. 
They  excavate  a  large  hole  in  the  side 
of  a  hill,  and  in  it  bend  poles  over,  in 
the  shape  of  an  oven,  covering  the  poles 
v/ith  mats,  and  then  with  earth.  A  pile 
of  stones  is  gathered  near  the  mouth  of 
the  oven,  over  which  a  fire  is  kept  burn- 
ing until  they  are  hot.  These  stones 
they  take  with  them  into  the  oven. 
Having  shut  themselves  in,  they  pour 
water  upon  the  stones,  thus  producing 
a  steam.  They  are  soon  almost  suffo- 
cated with  heat  and  vapor,  and  of  course 


1  > 


:.  .♦ 


-H 


:<} 


11 


tSi: 


kf 


' 


'^  III. 

nil- 


in 

;     '! 


it 


mm 


'•ja 


m 

S,  .f  ■ 
r  f  r 


f 


if  " 


I'll': 

il  'fc'li 


*'   II,!' 


r,-  :  '  'I 


Hi 


:('  •■'; 


^■■,i;;l'i 


ii<^iii 


ii 


!'!;:i,.i7l;. 


f'f 


I,  I 


58 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


lij 


perspire  very  freely.  After  remaining 
in  the  oven  as  long  as  nature  will  pos- 
sibly suffer  such  treatment,  they  break 
away  from  their  place  of  suffocation,  and 
plunge  into  cold  water. 

How  must  the  heart  of  every  Chris- 
tian, and  especially  of  every  Sunday- 
school  convert,  yearn  to  point  such 
ignorant  beings  to  the  true  Physician, 
who,  while  he  heals  the  heart  of  its*  dis- 
ease of  sin,  brings  such  light  to  the 
mind,  that  better  care  is  taken  of  the 
mortal  body!  As  these  Indians  came 
under  the  instruction  of  the  missionaries, 
in  the  same  degree  they  broke  away 
from  confidence  in  these  poor  physicians, 
and  adopted  more  reasonable  remedies. 

The  missionaries,  to  some  extent, 
became  the  medical  advisers  of  the 
Indians,  so  far  vas  they  were  permitted 
to  do  so ;  and  by  this  means  obtained 


TREATMENT  OF  THE  SICK. 


often  a  favorable  influence  over  them. 
But  to  advise  for  such  patients,  having 
habits  so  peculiar,  and  possessing  so 
little  judgment  in  taking  medicine,  was 
no  pleasant  task.  They  would  come  to 
the  mission,  and  say,  "  Friend,  I  have 
come  to  you  for  relief.  I  am  sick :  my 
stomach  is  dark,  and  screwed  up.  You 
are  a  wise  man.  Come,  friend,  get  me 
well." 

The  most  simple  medicine  was  given. 
Often  some  little  device^  to  divert  them 
to  a  simple  mode  of  living  for  a  few 
days,  would  remove  a  serious  illness. 
In  a  case  like  the  abov  where  the 
patient  was  known  to  be  living  on  in- 
digeLiible,  greasy  food,  a  bunch  of  let- 
tuce was  given,  with  great  gravity,  as 
an  excellent  medicine.  It  operated  ad- 
mirably, and  the  patient  was  loud  in 
his  praises  of  both  the  medicine  and  the 


, 


1 

li 


IM  I? 


I 


i'4;J? 


til  ■  '■ 

|!     pl.'ljl 


60 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OEEGON. 


doctor.  At  another  time  the  case  was 
much  more  serious,  but  resulted,  by  the 
blessing  of  God,  equally  well.  An  In- 
dian came  dashing  up  to  the  mission 
house, — his  horse  panting  with  hard 
riding.  "0,  Mr.  B ^,"  he  exclaim- 
ed, "I  have  come  twenty-five  miles! 
You  are  very  wise.  I  have  come  for 
help.  One  of  our  women  has  been 
bitten  by  a  rattlesnake.  I  have  come 
to  get  a  cure." 

Here  was  a  critical  case.  Something 
must  be  done  promptly.  The  mission- 
ary had  heard  that  the  common  onion, 
applied  raw  to  the  bitten  part,  was  an 
effective  remedy.  A  dangerous  medi- 
cine could  not  be  used  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, and  this  seemed  the  only 
resort.  It  was  sent  by  the  messenger, 
who  returned  in  furious  haste. 

Several  weeks  passed  before  he  came 


II  :: 


SICKNESS— FUNERAL  CEREMONIES.     61 

again.  One  day  he  entered  the  mission 
house,  and  exclaimed,  "0,  you  great 
doctor !  My  heart  is  large  toward  you  ! 
You  are  wise,  0,  very  wise !  Ah,  that 
medicine  cure, — woman,  she  get  well 
right  off!" 


SICKNESS,  PUNERAL  CEREMONIES,  AND 
BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

When  an  Indian  is  taken  sick,  his  family 
consult  his  friends  immediately.  If  an 
Indian  doctor  is  called,  they  are  ex- 
pected to  assist.  The  sick  man  gener- 
ally dreads  this  expedient,  as  the 
patients  of  these  famous  practitioners 
very  commonly  die,  and  are  never 
cured  by  thdr  means.  If  the  friends 
undertake  the  case  themselves,  more 
common  sense  is  used.     The  most  copi- 


n 


!•' 


111 


■M|.;,:v,| 

jin  '-fi 

i: 
i 


W'l 


'"II 


62 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


fortable  bed  possible  is  made,  which 
usually  consists  of  a  little  dried  grass,  a 
mat,  and  a  buffalo  skin,  laid  in  a  corner 
of  the  wigwam.  If  the  sick  person  be 
a  slave,  he  is  abandoned  altogether.  If 
not  a  slave,  yet,  if  he  grows  worse,  he 
will  be  much  or  altogether  neglected, 
until  death  interposes,  and  closes  the 
scene. 

Now  commences  a  most  dismal  howl- 
ing, in  lamentation  for  the  dead,  which 
lasts  often  seven  days, — the  length  of 
time  being  determined,  somewhat,  by 
their  regard  for  the  deceased.  Women 
are  the  chief  mourners,  and  are  often 
hired  for  this  purpose.  Their  mourning 
is  frequently  like  that  of  the  Israelites 
for  Jacob,  at  the  threshing-floor  of  Atad, 
"  a  grievous  and  bitter  mourning." 

As  soon  as  the  breath  leaves  the 
bo^y,  the  corpse  is  bound  up,  by  those 


SICKNESS— FUNERAL  CEREMONIES.     63 


accustomed  to  the  business,  in  a  blanket, 
or  skin,  and  the  neighbors  and  friends 
make  presents  to  the  relatives  of  the 
deceased,  of  beads,  shells,  and  some- 
times of  more  valuable  articles,  deposit- 
ing them  on  the  corpse.  A  few  of 
the  Indians,  through  the  influence  of 
the  example  of  the  whites,  bury  their 
dead  after  the  fashion  of  civilized  com- 
munities. The  Dalls  Indians  carried 
their  deceased  friends  to  an  island  in 
the  Columbia  River.  It  consists  of  a 
rocky  ledge,  in  which  no  graves  can  be 
dug.  They  there  built  rude  houses, 
and  in  them  deposited  the  bodies,  leav- 
ing them  to  waste  away,  much  exposed, 
necessarily,  to  the  air.  When  the  bones 
are  bleached  and  bare,  they  pile  them 
in  one  indiscriminate  heap.  The  aspect 
of  this  place  is  truly  dismal,  and  speaks 
mournfully  of  the  necessity  of  the  correct- 


Til. 


■  ■  k 

!        I* 


i!,.,    "^ 


!• 


k 


'■'■  If 


fii  ;;,,;,    S' 


Id!- 


ii.i 


^■ 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 

ing  influence  of  the  gospel,  by  which  the 
dead  might  be  laid  beneath  the  ground, 
in  hope  of  a  glorious  resurrection. 

After  the  ceremony  of  placing  the 
corpse  in  its  resting  place  is  over,  the 
immediate  friends  of  the  deceased  retire 
to  a  secluded  spot,  where  water  can  be 
freely  obtained;  and  for  a  number  of 
days  they  give  themselves  up  to  a 
purifying  process,  washing  and  rubbing 
themselves  as  if  to  remove  some  infec- 
tion. This  done,  they  are  then  ready 
to  return  to  contact  with  society. 
None  can  fail  to  see  in  this  ceremony, 
as  well  as  that  of  mourning,  a  resem- 
blance to  Jewish  customs.  A  scrupulous 
division  of  the  property  of  the  departed 
among  the  surviving  friends  is  an  item 
belonging  to  the  Indian  customs,  in  con- 
nection with  the  funeral,  which  is  never 
omitted. 


THE  INDIAN  NATIONAL  DANCE.       65 


THE  INDIAN  NATIONAL  DANCE. 

Most  nations  have  their  yearly  holidays, 
and  their  peculiar  manner  of  celebrating 
them.  The  well-known  "  Thanksgiv- 
ing," which  for  a  long  time  was  con- 
sidered a  New-England  festival,  has 
become  almost  national.  How  pleasant 
is  the  meeting  of  friends  on  that  day ! 
How  pleasing  the  associations  of  cheer- 
ful homes  and  well-spread  tables! 
Especially,  how  grateful  to  the  Chris- 
tian mind  the  religious  service  in  God's 
house !  The  Indians  of  Oregon  have  a 
yearly  holiday,  as  we  may  call  it ;  but 
its  celebration  is  that  of  heathenism, 
and  not  of  civilization  and  Christianity. 
In  several  successive  seasons  the 
missionaries  had  noticed  in  the  morfth 
of  December,  that  a  noise,  as  of  a  pecu- 


.i  •■ . 


I 


.]'  a 


'i*' .'  '1 


r 


It: 


HJ. 


fe 


I 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


liar  pounding  and  singing,  proceeded 
from  the  Indian  villages.  Of  this  they 
had  thought  but  little,  as  the  noise  of 
carousings  was  so  frequent  in  that  place. 
But  its  regular  occurrence  in  December 
induced  inquiries,  which  resulted  in 
their  first  information  concerning  the 
Indians'  yearly  national  dance.  In- 
vited by  some  Indian  friends,  the  mis- 
sionary entered  the  lodge  set  apart  for 
the  performance.  It  waa  prepared  by 
the  erection  of  rough  apartments  for  the 
spectators,  from  which  the  performance 
could  be  seen.  A  dried  elk  skin  was 
stretched  at  the  head  of  the  room,  on 
which  the  dancers  performed,  one  at  a 
time.  The  first  dancer  was  a  middle- 
aged  man,  who  came  upon  the  stand 
dressed  with  only  a  sheet  around  his 
waist,  and  a  belt  with  a  pistol  at  his 
side.     He  commenced  with  a  low,  sing- 


THE  INDIAN  NATIONAL  DANCE.       67 


ing  tone,  in  which  his  Indian  audience 
joined.  His  dancing  consisted  in  vio- 
lent twistings  and  wrenchings  of  his 
body,  without  at  any  time  lifting  his 
feet  from  the  platform.  This  exercise 
he  continued  for  half  an  hour,  or  more, 
occasionally  changing  the  time  of  his 
song,  if  it  might  so  be  called,  and  dis- 
tributing, during  the  performance,  among 
his  audience,  beads,  dressed  deer  skin, 
flax,  &c.  This  custom  of  the  dancers 
paying  the  people  who  consent  to  wit- 
ness their  performance  is  known,  we 
presume,  only  to  the  Indians ;  but  we 
suggest  whether  it  is  not  more  reason- 
able than  for  the  audience  to  pay  the 
dancers  ? 

After  this  performer  had  retired,  and 
the  audience  were  in  silent  expectation 
of  another,  a  large,  hideous-looking  In- 
dian plunged  through  the  aperture  in 


,1  '-: 


'?  ia 


i 


68 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


!«■■'■' 


ID 


•hi  '^' 

:ftj  '1  r  i! 


'^1 


the  roof  of  the  building,  out  of  which 
the  smoke  escaped,  and,  with  one  leap, 
landed  upon  the  elk  skin.  His  face 
and  nearly  naked  body  were  smeared 
with  blood.  He  began  with  a  low,  gut- 
teral  tone,  increasing  in  loudness  as  he 
proceeded  in  his  dance,  which,  as  before, 
consisted  in  contortions  of  the  body. 
When  he  was  about  half  through,  one 
of  his  friends  seized  a  small  dog,  doubt- 
less procured  for  the  purpose,  and  at- 
tempted to  take  its  life  by  thrice  thrust- 
ing it  into  the  fire.  Not  succeeding  in 
this  cruel  mode  of  killing  the  animal,  it 
was  cut  open,  and  the  blood — ^for  which 
it  had  been  killed — was  handed  in  a 
vessel  to  the  dancer,  who  eagerly  drank 
it,  meaning  to  say  to  his  audience,  by 
the  clotted  blood  upon  his  body,  and  the 
blood  taken  within,  that  he  was  a  man 
of  blood,  thus  glorying  in  his  shame. 


m 


INDIAN  SLAVERY. 


60 


Disgusted  at  the  sight,  the  mission- 
ary hastily  left  the  building,  and,  with 
a  heavy  heart,  hurried  to  his  own  quiet 
home. 


INDIAN  SLAVERY. 

As  in  Africa,  so  in  our  Western  Territo- 
ries, the  different  native  tribes  make 
war  upon  each  other,  and  reduce  their 
captives  to  slavery.  It  does  not  appear, 
however,  that  the  Indians,  like  Africans, 
make  war  for  the  purpose  of  making 
slaves.  Slavery  with  them  is  only  one 
of  the  consequences  of  their  quarrels. 
The  features  of  the  system,  as  we  are 
about  to  describe  them,  have  reference 
particularly  to  the  tribes  of  Western 
Oregon.  The  Shastas  and  Klameths,  in 
the  southern  districts,  have  been  at  en- 


i  ■ 


■1 


i    :. 


H  II  :    I 


I., 

'i;;  ■ 
■i|i. 


1:. 


t.t  ' 


;i:i:i  i 


.  I 


i  p: 


I  '•. 


:'   ■   Ui; 


fi' 


;■!    I 


.  (',»  i. 


mi 


n 


Ir'i  ■■'' 


70 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


mity  for  a  long  time.  In  their  preda- 
tory incursions  upon  each  other,  they 
seize  upon  defenseless  women  and  chil- 
dren, and  bear  them  away  into  captivity. 
In  some  cases  the  males  are  enslaved, 
but  the  difficulty  of  retaining  men  as 
property  prevents  this  result  from  fre- 
quent occurrence. 

These  slaves  are  purchased  by  the 
more  northern  tribes.  A  horse,  or  six 
beaver  skins,  or  two  blankets,  or  a  pair 
of  pantaloons  and  a  vest,  will  purchase 
a  slave.  None  but  some  one  of  the 
native  tribes  are  ever  thus  held  in 
bond^ige. 

But  war,  though  the  vstial,  is  not 
the  onl^  means  of  making  slaves.  The 
Indians  have  a  violent  passion  for  gam- 
bling. It  is  nearly  as  characteristic  ivnd 
as  strong  as  their  love  of  ardeat  spirit. 
When,  therefore;  they  hc;ve  nothing  else 


INDIAN  SLAVERY. 


71 


to  stake,  they  gamble  away  their 
liberty ;  beginning  with  an  arm  or  a 
leg,  they  risk  limb  after  limb,  until  the 
whole  man  is  put  into  the  venture,  to 
be  given  up  to  bondage  for  a  specified 
time,  or,  in  some  extreme  cases,  for  life. 
The  service  to  which  the  slaves  are 
subjected  is  the  most  menial.  They 
dress  the  food  taken  in  the  chase  or  in 
fishing,  draw  water,  and  provide  wood 
for  the  fire.  Their  food  is  coarse  and 
scanty,  even  more  so  than  that  of  their 
masters.  They  go  almost  destitute  of 
clothing.  When  they  are  sick  they  are 
frequently  left  wholly  uncared  for, — 
nourishment  not  even  being  provided 
them;  and  thus  they  die  alone,  with 
disease  and  starvation.  The  house 
where  they  die  is  pulled  down,  the 
premises  forsaken,  and  the  body  left 
unburied. 


y 


I'i 


'  >-j 


If:     I, 

¥    1 


.'i, 


m 


9; 


!l:rl;L 


i^'  •' 


H-  '/I 


I'iSi! 


:r; 


Y2 


MISSION  LIFP:  in  OREGON. 


•       ^ 


The  missionaries  once  saw  a  poor 
slave  boy,  who  was  sick,  tSken  by  his 
master  from  the  lodge,  and  laid  upon  a 
mat,  in  a  hole  dug  for  the  purpose,  so 
that  he  might  thus  die  in  his  grave ! 
.  These  religious  teachers  were  the 
means  of  preventing,  in  maHy  cases, 
such  cruelty ;  and  by  makitig  the  dark 
mind  of  the  Indian  understand  the  law 
of  love,  they  were  the  instruments  of 
the  abolition,  in  a  measure,  of  this  sys- 
tem of  slavery. 

Occasionally  the  enslaved  men  would, 
by  energy  of  character,  very  rare  among 
the  Indians,  purchase  their  freedom. 
A  doctor  of  some  note,  known  to  the 
missionaries,  was  from  his  boyhood  en- 
slaved. Being  shrewd,  and  recommend- 
ing himself  by  his  good  conduct,  he  be- 
came free  and  influential. 


RANSOM. 


13 


RANSOM. 

The  Indian,  Sinimhe,  had  a  son  who 
was  taken  suddenly  ill.  He  was  dear 
to  his  father,  and  every  means  was 
used  to  save  him  that  parental  affection 
could  devise,  guided,  alas,  by  no  skillful 
hand !  The  boy  died,  and  the  father's 
heart  was  deeply  wounded.  He  mourn- 
ed for  him  with  bowlings  and  other 
heathen  expressions  of  sorrow.  He 
determined  that  the  burial  should  be 
accompanied  by  the  greatest  possible 
respect  for  the  remains  of  his  departed 
son.  In  his  family  was  a  slave,  a  boy 
eight  or  ten  years  of  age,  a  great  favor- 
ite of  the  deceased,  and  his  affectionate 
attendant  in  his  last  hours.  Him  the 
father  commanded  to  go  with  the  pro- 
cession to  the  sepulcher.     When  there, 


a  1 


i 


iHiiill 


:  i  ,M 


t;:"i  I' 


I.  ii ' 


[.:4 


14 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


he  bound  him,  placed  him  in  the  tomb, 
with  his  face  downward,  and  confined 
him,  with  strong  cords,  to  the  corpse  of 
his  son !  The  straggles  and  entreaties 
of  the  slave  were  unheeded :  the  place 
of  burial  was  closed,  and  the  mourners 
returned  to  their  homes. 

Toward  night  of  the  same  day,  Ya- 
quator,  an  attendant  upon  the  sad  scene, 
came  to  the  family  of  the  missionary. 
He  began  to  relate,  pensively,  the  tale 
of  the  late  sickness  and  death,  in  lan- 
guage something  as  follows :  "  Sinimhe, 
he  feel  sorry,  ve)^  sorry, — sorry  here,'* 
laying  his  hand  upon  his  heart.  "  They 
make  much  mourning, — a  great  cry,  0, 
a  verff  great  cry!  They  bury  with 
him  much  things, — they  bury  slave 
with  him.  0,  Sinimhe  love  him  a  great, 
great  love !" 

At  the  last  expressions  the  attention 


RAI^SOM. 


15 


and  interest  of  the  missionary  family 
were  intensely  excited. 

"A  slave  buried ! — who ?  where ?" 

"  0,  a  slave  buried,  sure,"  replied  the 
Indian,  becoming  more  quiet,  seeing  the 
feeling  his  message  had  excited,  and 
seemed  to  give  to  the  affair  an  air  of 
trifling  importance. 

But  not  such  were  the  feelings  of  the 
Christian  family.  They  urged  him  to 
go  instantly,  and  obtain  his  immediate 
relief;  and,  to  give  emphasis  to  their 
entreaties,  they  intimated  that,  if  it 
were  not  done,  Dr.  M'Laughlin  should 
know  of  the  cruel  act. 

Yaquator  c^^rried  this  message  to 
other  Indians  concerned,  and  they  were 
intimidated ;  but  they  could  not  be  per- 
suaded to  visit  the  grave  that  night. 
It  was  some  distance  off,  and  their 
superstitious  dread  of  the  place-  of  the 


SlTl 


w 


16 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


\^ 


m' 


dead,  and  of  him  who,  though  now 
living,  dwelt  there,  was  not  easily  over- 
come. The  next  morning,  however,  the 
missionaries  succeeded  in  obtaining  his 
release.  His  limbs  Were  swollen,  and 
much  cut  by  the  cords  and  his  struggles 
,  to  get  free.  He  was  unable,  for  awhile, 
to  stand.  He  w^as  taken  to  the  mission 
house,  (the  Indian  superstition  keeping 
them  aloof  from  him,)  and  carefully 
washed  and  clothed,  for  he  had  been 
entombed  naked.  The  mission  boys 
for  some  time  avoided  him.  In  two 
weeks  he  was  nearly  recovered,  and 
became  communicative  and  sprightly. 
He  said  he  slept  none  during  that  ter- 
rible night,  but  watched,  and  listened  to 
the  singing  of  the  dead.* 


.::i1|l 


*'  It  is  a  common  notion  among  the  Indians,  that 
the  dead  may  be  heard  to  sing  in  the  places  of 
burial. 


^■"i: 


THE  INDIAN  MODE  OF  REMOVAL.      11 

His  deliverers  gave  him  the  appropri- 
ate name  of  Ransom.  He  remained  for 
some  time  under  their  watch-care. 


THE  INDIAN  MODE  OF  REMOVAL. 

The  Indians,  especially  in  the  middle 
and  upper  country,  where  they  follow 
the  chase  for  a  living,  are  exceedingly 
fond  of  horses.  These  animals  they 
own  often  in  large  numbers.  The  chief 
selects  from  four  to  ten  of  the  best  for 
his  own  use. 

When  a  company  are  about  to  re- 
move, the  women  take  down  the  lodge ; 
and  if  it  be  covered  with  skins,  as  is 
often  the  case,  it  is  packed  upon  horses, 
trained  for  that  purpose.  The  poles  are 
attached  at  one  end  to  each  side  of  the 
saddle,  and  the  other  end  is  permitted 


is 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


!lll,,l, 


■1'^  '■!, 


mi 


to  drag  upon  the  ground.  Clothing, 
lodge-covering,  buffalo  robes,  and  the 
scanty  articles  of  housekeeping,  are 
packed  upon  other  horses. 

Each  child,  if  old  enough  to  ride 
alone,  has  a  horse ;  if  not,  they  ride 
behind  the  mother;  or,  if  a  mere  infant, 
it  is  often  alung  to  a  horse  by  itself,  and 
the  horse  turned  loose  among  the  com- 
pany. The  women  take  charge  of  the 
horses  carrying  burdens^  and  the  men 
take  charge  of  the  others. 

Thus  equipped,  they  mov^  from  place 
to  place.  Their  removals  are  generally 
in  the  winter.  When  they  reach  their 
place  of  destination,  the  women  clear 
away  the  snow,  prepare  the  ground, 
and  set  up  the  lodge;  the  men  sitting 
upon  their  horses,  or  squatting  about 
the  fire,  until  their  houses  are  made 
ready  to  be  occupied. 


M 


INDIAN  MODE  OF  REMOVAL.      10 


The  lower  country  Indians  do  not 
usually  have  skin  lodges ;  but  their  win- 
ter houses,  being  partly  under  ground, 
are  covered  with  boards.  These  they 
take  down  in  the  spring,  bury  the 
boards  in  the  excavation  in  which  they 
have  lived,  and  construct  a  summer, 
traveling  lodge  of  a  kind  of  rush,  or 
coarse  grass.  These  they  easily  trans- 
fer, as  we  have  described,  from  place  to 
place,  on  their  horses. 

What  would  these  sons  of  the  forest 
say  or  think,  if  they  were  at  once  to 
exchange  their  tedious  mode  of  travel 
for  a  railroad  car,  moving  at  the  rate  of 
thirty  miles  an  hour  ? 


!  f      ^' 


fhi 


•'If  ■ 


\  m 


■■i.  !\ 


Ill), 


\i 


'*^ 


f 


^  >,  I 


1:^1  alii 


:iM'^ 


im 


I'l     i;!'' 


.;il: 


i 


80 


MISSION   LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


FLATTENING  INFANTS'  HEADS. 

So  far  as  our  missionaries'  knowledge 
extends,  the  tribes  which  flatten  their 
heads  and  pierce  their  noses  and  ears 
are  the  Chenooks,  Walla- Wallas,  Klick- 
atats,  Callapooyahs,  and  some  others, 
mostly  in  lower  Oregon.  It  is  singular 
that  the  so  called  Flatheads  and  Nez 
Perces  (Pierced  Wuses)  neither  flatten 
their  heads  nor  pierce  their  noses. 

The  process  of  flattening  the  head  of 
the  infant  is  as  follows.  Soon  after  the 
child  is  born,  a  board  is  prepared,  of  a 
proper  length,  wider  at  the  head  than 
foot;  upon  the  edge  of  this  board  a 
narrow  piece  of  skin  is  fastened,  with 
loop-holes  at  short  distances.  Upon 
this  board  they  lay  grass,  skin,  or  fur. 
The   "  tumchasas/'   or  cradle,   is   then 


i''j 
i 


'i^ill! 


FLATTENING  INFANT'S  HEADS, 


81 


complete.  Upon  this  the  infant  is  laid. 
The  mother  confines  closely  its  feet, 
legs,  and  body,  wUh  cords,  placing  the 
little  arms  snugly  by  its  side.  A  wide 
strip  of  skin  is  passed  across  the  head, 
and  lashed  to  the  board ;  and  the  suffer- 
ing babe  is  left,  with  the  poor  privilege 
of  seeing  and  breathing,  if  it  can.  In 
this  position  it  is  kept  from  twelve  to 
eighteen  hours  each  day,  during  the 
first  year  or  more.  Their  eyes  are 
started  frightfully  from  their  heads,  and 
multitudes  of  them  die  in  this  cruel  pro- 
cess. A  few  survive,  with  their  heads 
so  exceedingly  flattened  as  nearly  to 
form  an  edge  at  the  top.  The  people 
of  these  tribes,  more  especially  the 
chiefs,  are  very  vain  of  their  flat  heads. 


.It, 


li§H 


ly  .'I'JI 


m 


m 


I'M' 


iM 


82 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


AN  INDIAN  MARRIAGE. 

The  Christian  religion  has  sanctified  the 
marriage  relation,  and  made  sacred  the 
names  of  "husband"  and  "wife."  In 
the  dark  corners  of  the  earth,  where 
are  the  habitations  of  cruelty,  man  is 
generally  the  oppressive  master,  and 
woman  the  trembling  slave.  The  mar- 
riage ceremony  is  a  disgusting  mockery, 
and  the  wife  is  regarded  as  such  only  so 
long  as  she  shall  please  her  fickle  lord. 
In  proportion  as  Bjble  truth  has  pre- 
vailed, has  the  rite  of  marriage  been 
made  interesting  and  solemn.  In  the 
Eastern  countries,  in  the  Saviour's  time, 
and  even  at  the  present  day,  nuptial 
rites  are  strikingly  beautiful.  From 
these  the  Saviour  drew  many  impres- 
sive illustrations  of  religious  doctrines. 


mi 


AN  INDIAN  MARRIAGE. 


83 


The  reader  will  recollect  his  reference 
to  the  midnight  processions,  and  the 
cry,  "The  bridegroom  cometh," — the 
shutting  of  the  door  of  admittance  to 
the  feast,  and  the  lamentations  of  those 
forbidden 'to  enter. 

The  marriage  occasions  of  our  own 
Christian  land  are  distinctly  impressed 
upon  the  minds  of  my  youthful  readers. 
We  will  now  present  to  them  a  heathen 
mode  of  celebrating  marriage.  It  must 
be  borne  in  mind  that  the  heathen  re- 
ferred to  had  long  been  under  the 
ameliorating  influence  of  some  form  of 
Christian  civilization,  and  therefore  these 
ceremonies  are  less  repulsive  than  those 
of  other  heathens. 

In  the  case  selected  as  an  illustration 
of  our  subject,  the  consent  of  each  party 
had  been  obtained.  The  object  now 
was  to  confirm  the  engagement,  and  to 


P^ 


1 


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;  / 


\  *i 


I 


I'j 


i '  ■•' 


v:.!v'l; 


1   '   'I'?' 


111' 


i ''■•':■;. 


(l; 


II.R 


il;? 


r;.i 


84 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OKEGON. 


constitute  the  parties  husband  and  wife. 
The  bridegroom  was  a  young  man, 
called,  by  the  missionaries,  Joseph, 
who  had  lived  in  an  American  friend's 
family. 

The  ceremony  commenced  with  the^ 
presentation,  by  Joseph,  to  the  bride, 
of  five  horses.  The  number  varies  from 
two  to  twenty,  according  to  the  wealth 
or  generosity  of  the  bridegroom.  They 
are  brought  to  the  door  of  the  bride, 
and  left  without  remark.  As  these 
gifts  are  not  regarded  as  purchase 
money,  but  as  expressions  of  earnest- 
ness in  the  matter,  Joseph  waited  for 
an  expression  from  his  espoused  in  re- 
turn. After  a  little  delay,  an  old  man, 
the  crier,  came  toward  the  bridegroom, 
with  a  stick  hoisted  in  the  air,  to  which 
was  attached  a  long  string  of  large 
beads,  one  end  of  which  he  held  in  his 


^11 


m"' 


M 


m 


i  }■%' 


i 


1^1 


AN   INDIAN    WEDDING. 


1.  ti 


Ml 


is\ 


■ 
ft 


AN  INDIAN  MARRIAGE. 


St 


hand :  he  muttered,  as  he  came,  some- 
thing which  was  understood  to  mean, 
"Look,  look!  This  for  one  horse!" 
In  like  manner,  strings  of  various  kinds 
of  shells  were  presented,  and  the  ac- 
ceptance of  each  horse  was  thus  ac- 
knowledged. 

The  next  step  was  taken  by  a  com- 
pany of  fifteen  young  women,  friends 
of  the  bride,  who  arranged  themselves 
in  rows  of  three  each, — the  whole  pro- 
cession being  connected  by  a  string  of 
beads.  They  thus  marched  toward  the 
bridegroom's  residence,  chanting  merrily 
as  they  went,  and  deposited  them  before 
him,  receiving  some  small  articles  in  re- 
turn, which  they  coolly  appropriated  to 
their  own  especial  use. 

The  next  step  the  missionaries  did 
not  consider  very  complimentary  to  the 
bride,  but  such  was  the  custom.   Joseph 

6 


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i.^i 


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If   ^'  ^^ 

■  ia: 

1;:^: 

1  "<| 
k 

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m 

1 1' :' 

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■  .       :  '  V  '^     '  i' 

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f ,  ^'' 

i 

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ir 

iBmiAm 

iiililli. 

88 


MISSION  LIFE   IN  OREGON. 


sent  his  mother  and  sister,  with  combs 
and  tallow,  to  put  the  espoused's  hair 
in  a  bridal  condition.  After  they  had 
performed  the  duty  intrusted  them,  they 
left  the  tallow  and  combs  in  her  pos- 
session, as  an  intimation,  perhaps,  that 
it  would  be  well  for  her  and  her  friends 
to  continue  to  use  them. 

Next  came  the  feast,  which  was 
served  p  at  the  bride's  house,  to  the 
bridegroom  and  his  frijnds  only.  It 
consisted  of  dried  salmon  and  cammas- 
root,  mixed  with  salmon  oil,  presented 
by  the  bride  on  small  mats,  made  for 
the  occasion. 

Joseph  and  his  friends  having  satis- 
fied their  appetites,  returned  to  his 
house,  carrying  the  remains  of  the  feast 
and  the  mats  with  them.  They  soon 
returned,  each  with  a  back-load  of  wood, 
for  the  bride's  father ;  and  thus  ended 


M,- 


THE  WAK  SPIRIT. 

the  ceremony.  They  were  now  pro- 
nounced, "J^  custom,'*  husband  and 
wife ;  to  live  with  each  other,  alas !  not 
"according  to  God's  most  holy  ordi- 
nance of  matrimony,"  but  according  to 
the  heathen  notions  of  the  husband, 
who  might  put  his  wife  away  for  «  every 
cause;"  or  take  to  himself,  at  will, 
another,  to  share  with  her  his  affections 
and  commands. 


!^'  '|(9«''Jf 


THE  WAR  SPIRIT. 

It  is  a  fact  long  known  to  the  whites 
that  the  red  men,  of  every  part  of  our 
country,  are  rapidly  fading  away.  Their 
bad  habits  of  living  are  the  principal 
cause,  no  doubt ;  but  their  bloody  wars 
against  each  other  have  a  great  influence 
in  securing  this  result.     It  is  especially 


I'- 


yifi 


IP 

P 

11' 

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■  Hpi!' 

'Ji 

i:>^ 

^i 

W\  ! 

1 

1 1 

'■ 

1.i!'^' : 

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r\  f! 

'  iLfi  ■■■ 

'   ' 1  1     ■  '  ■    '( 

1  ^/ifjf^ 

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^     ii! 

.1               ' 

.'■iH 

.; 

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J          1 

li  ■'     ■■■■] 

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t'    V    , 

ii; 

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mi 

■■^rt' !>'Cr  \ 

7^riV>:-.  ;• 

.  't  ,i' ' .  ■ 

■I'jjii 

;  :* 

'  ''    "'l 

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if:}'  ' 

■         i'-lr'l.i 

■i. 

1   :'N'' 

• 

'  •'  ''j 

1^        ■           1 

'I- 

90 


0» 


MISSION   LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


SO  in  Oregon.  Since  the  missionaries 
have  lived  among  them,  their  wariike 
spirit  has,  in  some  measure,  been  sub- 
dued ;  but,  even  now,  the  more  numer- 
ous and  stronger  tribes  oppress  the 
weaker.  The  Nez  Perces  and  Cayuses, 
at  one  time,  very  much  annoyed  the 
Wascapams,  making  large  demands  upon 
them,  so  that  they  fled  for  refuge  to 
dens  and  caves. 

The  Nez  Perces  and  Cayuses  were 
accutomed  to  visit  our  missionaries, 
when  on  their  yearly  excursions.  It 
was  on  one  of  these  visits  that  the 
missionaries  were  treated  with  an  ex- 
hibition of  their  manner  of  engaging  in 
battle.  It  was  not  exactly  a  war-dance, 
but  was  attended  by  those  savage  yells 
and  bowlings  which  accompany  their 
dances. 

They  first  announced  their  approach 


THE  WAR  SPIRIT. 


01 


to  the  station  by  firing  their  guns,  by 
drumming,  and  by  terrific  war-songs. 
They  were  mounted  on  horses,  strange- 
ly decorated.  From  the  head  of  one 
streamed  the  hair  of  the  scalp  of  a 
Blackfoot  Indian;  from  another,  the 
hideous  scalp  of  a  buffalo, — the  horns 
still  protruding.  Their  riders  were  not 
less  fantastically  dressed.  All  available 
ornament,  and  different-colored  clothes, 
were  laid  under  contribution, — the  gar- 
ment, in  some  instances,  trailing  to  the 
ground.  They  came  on  with  furious 
prancing  and  reckless  disorder,  yelling 
and  singing  as  they  came.  A  part 
alighted  near  the  mission  house,  and 
danced,  yelled,  and  drummed,  much, 
doubtless,  to  their  own  gratification. 
One  of  the  chiefs  then  entered  the 
house,  to  assure  the  inmates  of  their 
peaceful  purposes ;  an  assurance  not  al- 


:l! 


f^ 


'M 


u 


iLi'^ 


Iff 


i  ,  , 


1^\ 


^'i 


'\M 


92 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


4'- 


■  iis 


,h:  ,:!       I 


together  unnecessary,  we  should  think, 
after  the  exhibition  of  so  much  of  the 
spirit  of  war.  They  only  wished  to 
show  them,  he  said,  how  they  prepared 
for  battle. 

The  men,  having  finished  this  per- 
formance, loitered  about  the  settlement, 
expecting  presents;  while  their  wives 
were  engaged  in  erecting  their  lodges, 
for  they  had  come  intending  to  spend 
some  months  at  the  station. 

How  hateful  is  the  spirit  of  war, 
wherever  it  is  seen,  or  by  whomsoever 
exhibited,  whether  in  the  savage  war- 
whoop  or  the  stirring  tones  of  the 
bugle !  It  is  to  subdue  this  spirit,  and 
make  men  love  one  another,  that  the 
go€spel  is  preached,  bearing  "  glad  tidings 
of  great  joy,"  and  proclaiming,  "  Peace 
on  earth,  and  good  will  to  men."  So 
fer  as  it  shall  have  willing  ears,  and 


TENDER  MERCY  OF  HEATHENISM.     93 

obedient  hearts,  whether  in  savage  or 
in  Christian  lands,  the  howlings  of  the 
Indian,  and  the  martial  music  of  the 
soldier,  in  preparation  for  bloody  con- 
flict with  their  fellow-men,  will  give 
way  to  the  joyful  shout,  from  "  a  great 
multitude,  whom  no  man  can  number, 
saying.  Alleluia,  for  the  Lord  God 
Omnipotent  reigneth/'  Who  would  not 
be  engaged,  with  all  the  means  in  his 
power,  to  secure  this  glorious  reign  of 
the  King  of  peace  ? 


('. 


THE  TENDER  MERCY  OF  HEATHENISM. 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  heathen  parents 
have  generally  some  of  the  affection  which 
belongs  to  that  parental  relation.  They 
even,  at  times,  exhibit  a  frantic  fondness 
for  their  offspring :  but,  being  "  without 


'^■^ 


ri 


'h 


m 


r    (V 


;^i 


MM  it 


U;fa 


I ''<'. 


$!■ 


'ij' 


'..  ' 


11 


,, 1'^^  i 


ii  ;!'■..  «?r^';i:! 


Vifl 


J!|i 


!    ■ ,  ',•■! 


:!t' 


f'^ii 


94 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


God/*  their  passions  are  not  chastened, 
nor  rightly  directed.  They  often  are 
impelled  to  deeds,  by  the  darkness  of 
their  minds,  which  stifle  all  the  tender 
sympathies  of  their  nature,  and  appear 
truly  "  without  natural  affection."  Such 
was  the  case  with  Homaz,  a  brave  and 
distinguished  Wascapam.  His  tribe  re- 
garded him  as  a  chief;  and  the  mission- 
aries discovered  in  him  more  than  usual 
tact  and  ability  in  discussing  many  sub- 
jects of  interest.  This,  in  many  re- 
spects, noble  savage  had  an  infant  child. 
The  little  babe  the  missionaries  thought 
possessed  unusual  beauty  and  attractive- 
ness, and  its  mother,  though  an  Indian, 
seemed  to  think  so  too.  But,  like  many 
infants,  it  cried  much.  This  disturbed 
the  father.  Shaking  his  head,  he  would 
say,  'Wrouff, — bad,  very  bad,"  meaning 
that  there  was  something  very  wrong 


!iiii,ii 


TENDER  MERCY  OF  HEATHENISM.     96 


about  the  child.  The  Christian  father 
would  have  at  once  referred  it  to  a 
sHght  sickness,  or  passed  it  by  alto- 
gether :  but  the  darkened  mind  of  this 
heathen  must  seek  a  more  mysterious 
reason.  "It  is,"  said  he,  "because  I 
went  into  the  steam-oven,  a  few  days 
before  its  birth.  Its  heart  is,  therefore, 
like  a  steam-oven,  and  it  must  not  live." 
Such  was  his  reasoning,  and  he  deter- 
mined to  destroy  his  child,  probably 
thinking  to  rid  the  child  of  pain,  and 
himself  of  the  annoyance  of  its  crying. 
Of  this  purpose  the  missionary,  of 
course,  knew  nothing,  but  providentially 
called  at  the  lodge  of  Homaz,  to  con- 
verse with  him  concerning  the  cross  of 
Christ.  The  medicine  man  was  present, 
and  Homaz  was  silent  and  sullen.  The 
missionary  engaged  in  conversation  with 
the  father,  while  the  doctor  squatted 


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MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


down  by  the  mother,  who  held  the 
infant  in  her  arms.  Suddenly,  the 
mother  gave  a  piercing  shriek,  the 
doctor  gave  a  savage  yell,  and  the  babe 
gasped  convulsively,  and  died!  The 
doctor,  with  a  terrible  grasp,  had  stran- 
gled the  child  in  its  mother's  arms. 
The  father  remained  unmoved,  coolly 
surveying  the  scene ;  too  plainly  show- 
ing that  he  had  planned  the  murder. 

It  was  the  work  of  a  moment,  and 
the  Christian  teacher  could  only  remon- 
strate against  such  heart-rending  deeds, 
in  the  name  of  Jesus,  who  took  little 
children  up  in  his  arms,  and  blessed 
them. 

The  poor  mother  was  overwhelmed 
with  aiQiction;  she  showed  her  grief 
by  mournful  wnilings.  The  missionary 
tried  to  teach  her  that  '^  of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven." 


'J  4  . 


CAMP-MEETING. 


97 


Let  us  pity  and  pray  for  these  mui^ 
derers,  that  the  light  of  the  gospel  may 
take  away  their  hearts  of  stone,  and 
give  them  the  love  that  suffereth  long, 
and  is  kind.  Sincerely  grateful  should 
the  Sabbath-school  children  be,  that 
their  parents  were  not  exposed  to  the 
darkness  of  the  savage,  whose  tender 
mercies  are  cruel. 


CAMP-MEETING. 

Those  means  of  grace  denominated  the 
class-meeting,  the  love-feast,  and  the 
camp-meeting,  were  used  by  the  mis- 
sionaries among  the  Indians  with  God's 
special  blessing.  Though  the  weekly 
class  might  be  held  in  an  humble  hut, 
the  love-feast  in  a  place  of  rude  accom- 
modations, and  the  camp-meeting  with 


98 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


'-:M 


■ji.'a 


far  less  outward  conveniences  than  those 
of  Christian  lands,  yet  God,  whose  pe- 
culiar habitation  is  with  the  lowly, 
blessed  these  means. 

The  first  camp-meeting  that  our  mis- 
sionaries held  was  in  October,  1841. 
The  spot  selected  was  a  clean  prairie, 
about  three  miles  from  the  Dalles  station. 
Peculiar  feelings  were  inspired  by  the 
novel  scene.  About  thirty  brush  tents, 
erected  by  the  Indians,  encircled  the 
ground.  No  seats  were  necessary  for 
the  sons  of  the  forest,  who  sometimes 
call  the  earth  their  mother,  and  prefer 
to  rest  upon  her  bosom.  Frequently, 
when  seats  are  prepared  for  them,  in 
other  places,  they  sit  upon  them  for 
awhile,  restless  and  dissatisfied,  and 
then,  slipping  down  between  them, 
take  a  more  satisfactory  position  upon 
the  ground.    Thus  a  congregation,  seat- 


i"n 


CAMP-MEETING. 


90 


ed  at  the  commencement  of  a  service, 
would  be  upon  the  ground  at  its 
close. 

At  this  meeting  no  pulpit  stand  was 
prepared ;  the  preacher,  while  standing, 
being  sufficiently  elevated  above  his 
audience.  About  five  hundred  Indians 
were  assembled.  The  following  order 
of  exercises  was  adopted,  and  obeyed 
cheerfiilly  and  promptly :  all  seemed  to 
be  interested.  At  six  o'clock,  A.  M., 
prayer-meeting  in  the  tents;  seven 
o'clock,  secret  prayer,  at  which  time 
many  could  be  seen  directing  their 
steps,  in  different  directions,  for  private 
supplication.  The  breakfast  hour  was 
eight  o'clock ;  and  at  ten  all  were  to  as- 
semble upon  the  prairie  to  hear  preach- 
ing ;  after  which  an  hour  was  spent  in 
private  devotion  again.  Then  another 
sermon  was  preached,  followed,  after  a 


t 


Br^" 


100 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OKEGON. 


t 


I 


short  intermission,  by  a  frugal  dinner. 
Next  in  order  was  preaching,  and  social 
and  private  prayer,  until  the  evening 
meal.  The  day  was  closed  with  prayer 
and  exhortation,  in  the  tents. 

Thus  the  time  passed  pleasantly  and 
profitably  until  the  Sabbath,  which  was 
a  day  of  extraordinary  interest.  Brother 
J.  Lee  baptized  one  hundred  and  thirty 
persons,  and  administered  the  sacrament 
to  over  four  hundred, — mostly  adults. 
Glorious  were  the  manifestations  of  the 
divine  power !  Shouts  of  praise  ascend- 
ed from  hundreds  of  new-bom  souls ; 
and  experienced  believers  rejoiced  in 
God's  quickening  grace.  Even  the  un- 
yielding sinner  was  astonished,  and  his 
gainsaying  was  stopped.  A  new  sound 
had  broke  forth  in  this  wilderness, — ^its 
solitary  places  were  made  glad.  Often 
the  devoted  laborers  exclaimed,  "  0  that 


>i  m 


iiy 


CAMP-MEETING. 


101 


the  Christian  friends  of  our  native  land 
were  here,  to  witness  the  work  of  grace 
on  the  hearts  of  the  Indians !" 

After  the  meeting  closed,  the  native 
converts  continued  to  give  evidence  of 
a  genuine  change  of  heart.  They  need- 
ed, it  is  true,  a  constant  watch-care, 
persevering  and  patient  instruction,  and 
sometimes  the  faithful  Christian  reproof. 
It  must  be  remembered  they  were  but 
recently  in  heathen  darkness,  and  were 
still  surrounded  with  pagan  supersti- 
tions. Their  teachers,  therefore,  rejoiced 
over  them  with  trembling,  and  mourned, 
as  a  parent  for  a  prodigal  child,  when 
they  went  astray.  They  had  the  hap- 
piness of  seeing  many  of  them  continue 
steadfast  in  the  &ith,  and  die  in  hope 
of  a  glorious  immortality. 

The  following  spring,  another  camp- 
meeting  was  held.     Much  prayer  had 


p 


102 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


i^l 


'rm 


m^ 


been  offered,  that  God  would  own  this 
assembling  in  the  grove, — that  he  would 
revive  the  fainting,  arouse  the  stupid, 
convict  the  unawakened,  and  sanctify 
believers.  The  Head  of  the  Church 
heard,  and  answered.  As  the  mission- 
ary passed  from  tent  to  tent,  instructing 
and  exhorting,  his  heart  was  rejoiced  by 
the  prayer  and  praise  of  the  Indian  con- 
verta.  One  would  exclaim,  "I  am 
happy,  happy;  the  Holy  Spirit  given  to 
me  is  like  food  to  my  soul !"  Another 
said,  ^^  When  I  came  here  my  heart  was 
po-norni-coWy — darky  dark!  When  I 
prayed  my  heart  was  hard,  like  a  stone. 
I  prayed  again  and  again,  and  I  felt 
better;  and  now" — ^putting  his  hand 
upon  his  heart — "it  is  all  light  here, — 
all  joy  in  the  Lord." 

Some  weeks  afterward  the  missionary 
writes :  "  The  good  work  is  still  going 


CAMP-MEETING. 


103 


on.  We  hold  meetings  with  the  In- 
dians dayly.  They  weep  and  pray, — 
weep,  and  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable. 
They  are  full,  and  rejoice  from  the 
heart.  Our  hearts  are  frequently  melt- 
ed, and  we  have  a  shout  of  a  King  in 
the  camp. 

"When  we  are  having  our  services 
in  English,  for  the  more  immediate 
benefit  of  our  little  circle,  the  Indian 
converts  will  come  in,  and,  although 
they  do  not  understand  our  language, 
yet  they  catch  the  spirit  of  our  devo- 
tions, and  rejoice  with  us." 

Such  were  some  of  the  features  of  the 
camp-meetings  among  the  red  men, — 
such  the  blessed  fruits.  Upon  them 
the  missionary  looks  back,  delighting 
to  ponder  upon  the  goodness  of  God; 
and  he  is  prompted  to  look  forward 
in  joyful  expectation,  that  he  will  meet 


104 


MISSION  LIFB  IN  OREGON. 


in  heaven  those  who  shall  say,  "  There 
and  then  were  we  made  heirs  of  this 
glorious  inheritance." 


ERUPTION  OF  MOUNT  ST.  HELENS,  AND  A 
PEAK  OF  THE  PRESIDENT'S  RANGE. 

On  a  pleasant  evening,  in  the  month  of 
November,  1843,  the  missionaries  at 
the  Dalles  were  favored  with  a  visit 
^rom  some  of  their  friends  from  the 
\,  Jamette  Valley.  Among  the  com- 
pany was  the  celebrated  Tom  M'Kay, 
who  was  the  terror  of  all  the  upper 
country  Indians.  In  earlier  days  he 
had  been  sent,  by  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company,  to  punish  them  for  various 
misdemeanors.  So  energetically  had 
this  hardy  pioneer  performed  his  com- 
mission, as  the  judge,  jury,  and  sheriff, 


ERUPTION  OF  MOUNT  ST.  HELENS.  106 


that  his  name,  to  the  Indians,  was  as- 
sociated with  unerring  retribution  for 
all  offenses  against  the  white  man. 
Though  they  feared,  yet  they  all  loved 
him,  for  he  had  a  noble  nature.  He 
had  showed  discrimination  in  his  punish- 
ments. He  was  a  friend  to  the  defense- 
less and  innocent. 

When  the  Indians  met  him  on  this 
occasion,  they  talked  to  him  in  language 
something  like  the  following :  ^^  0,  you 
great  chief!  We  are  glad  to  see  you. 
We  have  known  you  before  this  day. 
We  have  known  you  in  the  wars,  and 
you  always  conquer.  You  are  our 
father :  we  are  your  children ;  and  now 
whatever  you  say  to  us  we  will  do. 
We  are  blind.  Our  heads  are  like 
stone.  We  know  but  little.  We  are 
dark,  and  need  light.     Teach  us." 

In  one  of  Mr.  Lee's  visits  to  the 


106 


MISSION. LIFE  IS  OREGON. 


'  ■•jtir 


u 


states,  he  brought  three  of  Mr.  M'Kay's 
sons  to  be  educated ;  and  for  some  time 
they  were  members  of  the  Wesleyan 
Academy,  Wilbraham,  Mass. 

About  the  time  these  friends  arrived 
at  the  mission,  a  Jark,  heavy  cloud  was 
seen  rising  in  the  direction  of  Mount  St. 
Helens.  No  special  remark  was  excited 
by  this  fact ;  but,  on  going  to  the  door 
the  next  morning,  the  missionaries  were 
surprised  to  see  the  ground,  the  trees, 
the  grass, — everything, — sprinkled  with 
ashes.  A  dark  cloud  shrouded  the  sky. 
It  seemed  to  rain ;  but  the  clouds  were 
not  dropping  water.  Something  de- 
scended gently  to  the  earth,  in  form 
like  fine  sand, — ^in  color,  it  appeared 
like  ashes.  Its  odor  was  that  of  sul- 
phur. The  Indians  said  it  had  descended 
in  larger  quantities  toward  Mount  St. 
Helens.    Soon  the  mystery  was  solved  : 


'i,m 


ERUPTION  OF  MOUNT  ST.  HELENS.   lOl 


that  mountain  had  broken  forth  in  a 
splendid  eruption^  and  the  i/vinds  had 
wafted  its  ashes  to  the  door  of  the  mis- 
sionaries. Excited  by  this  occurrence, 
they  planned  an  excursion  to  the  north 
side  of  the  Columbia  River.  Here, 
from  a  high  mountain,  near  its  bank,  is 
one  of  the  aublimest  views  on  the  North 
American  Continent.  The  President's 
Range,  separating  middle  from  lower 
Oregon,  is  in  full  view.  Its  highest 
peaks,  covered  with  perpetual  snows, 
resting  among  the  clouds,  are  named  in 
honor  of  some  of  the  earUer  presidents. 
The  highest  is  Mount  Washington,  the 
next  Mount  Adams,  and  so  in  the  order 
of  the  presidential  administrations. 

Amid  this  group  of  lofty  mountains, 
Helens  threw  out  its  dark  cloud  of 
smoke.  Its  fires  seemed  smothered, 
but  the  issuing  volumes  of  smoke  and 


^^ 


; 

i 

i 

•-  '1 


ii 


»K 


.1 


H 


108 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


i-.:i 


f'Sirm 


MM 


E- ! 


ashes  contrasted  impressively  with  the 
sparkling  snow  of  the  surrounding  peaks. 
Here  was  great  extent  of  view,  and 
variety  of  landscape, — ^the  mingling  of 
the  beautifol  and  the  sublime.  The 
Oregon  River,  as  it  wound  around  the 
base  of  the  hills,  and  stretched  across 
the  plain,  seemed  to  illustrate  the  silent 
workings  of  God's  power;  while  the 
volcano  and  the  vast  range  of  mountains 

spoke  of  its  mighty  effects.  -^  ^'*- 

The  missionaries  returned  to  their 
home,  from  gazing  upon  this  scene, 
feeling  the  force  of  the  lines, — 

"  This  awful  God  is  ours,— 
Our  Father  and  our  Friend." 


wm 


I.  *i. 


Il"i' 


M 


WILLIAM  M'KENDREE. 


109 


WILLIAM  M'KENDREE. 

An  Indian  lad,  who  received  the  above 
name,  lost  his  parents  when  he  was 
quite  young.  From  the  decease  of  his 
parents  until  he  was  about  twelve  years 
of  age,  he  lived  in  the  family  of  his 
uncle.  During  this  time  he  learned 
the  practices  of  Indian  life.  He  became 
expert  in  spearing  salmon,  and  in  catch- 
ing them  in  a  net.  Indeed,  he  was 
considered  one  of  the  best  hunters,  of 
his  age,  in  the  Wascapam  tribe.  From 
his  twelfth  year  he  became  a  member 
of  the  missionary  family.  He  immedi- 
ately exchanged  his  Indian  dress,  which 
consisted  of  a  poor  blanket,  for  the  de- 
cent apparel  afforded  him  by  his  teach- 
ers. He  showed  considerable  aptness 
in  working  in  the  garden,  and  taking 


!<■ 


I 


pi 


;J| 


^■1 


I 


It' I 


9 

I 

all 

Mfi"!    1 -III 


li'lll 


I  •i 


110 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


care  of  the  cattle  of  the  mission  farm. 
He  seemed  to  be  pleased  with  his  new 
mode  of  life.  He  listened,  with  deep 
interest;  to  the  stories  related  to  him, 
by  the  missionaries,  of  the  States.  To 
his  uninstructed  mind,  what  he  heard 
of  the  great  cities  and  beautiful  dwell- 
ings of  white  men,  of  their  mode  of 
traveling,  and,  most  of  all,  their  means 
of  learning  and  religious  instruction,  was 
very  wonderful  In  his  Indian  language, 
he  would  exclaim,  "Wake  siar  nika 
nanage  Boston  ileha," — "  It  will  not  be 
long  before  I  shall  see  the  United 
States.** 

He  made  considerable  progress  in 
learning  English,  and  soon  became  at- 
tentive to  religious  teaching.  During 
the  great  revival  at  the  station,  he 
professed  to  meet  with  a  change  of 
heart;  and  gave  evidence  of  the  truth- 


ll!''M, 


WILLIAM  M'KENDREE. 


Ill 


m 

m 


fulness  of  his  profession  by  a  punctual 
attendance  upon  the  means  of  grace, 
and  a  consistent  life.  '      t. 

Not  long  after  this,  Colonel  Fremont 
and  his  band  of  explorers  stopped  at 
the  mission,  having  been  exploring  the 
Rocky  Mountains'  region.  The  colonel 
was  ^  now  on  his  way  to  the  Pacific 
shore,  and  some  of  his  party  having  left 
him,  he  made  a  request  for  a  recruit 
from  the  neighborhood  of  the  mission. 
After  a  consultation  with  William's 
teacher,  he  was  engaged  to  accompany 
him.  William  was  now  about  eighteen 
years  of  age,  active,  and  somewhat  in- 
telligent. His  outfit  was  soon  made. 
A  few  cows,  the  reward  of  his  industry, 
he  left  with  the  missionaries.  He  was 
supplied  with  one  horse  to  ride,  and 
another  to  carry  his  few  articles  of  bed- 
ding, clothes,  &c. 


112 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


Bidding  him  an  affectionate  adieu, 
the  missionaries  parted  with  him,  after 
many  kind  words  of  counsel  concerning 
his  religious  habits,  and  with  no  little 
solicitude  lest  new  associates,  and  an* 
unfavorable  business,  should  injure  bis 
piety. 

For  many  months  no  information  was 
received  of  William.  Fremont  and  his 
party  had  gone  to  Southern  Oregon, 
and  were  pressing  their  adventurous 
way  through  its  pathless  forests.  But 
subsequently  an  emigrant  from  the 
States,  who  had  accompanied  Fremont's 
party,  with  William,  to  Southern  Ore- 
gon, and  from  thence  to  the  Atlantic 
States,  gave  the  missionaries  the  follow- 
ing account. 

Fremont  took  William  to  Washington^ 
and  showed  him  the  wonderful  things 
there  to  be  seen.     Thus  his  long-cher- 


■* 


WILLIAM  M'KENDREE. 


lis 


ished  wish  was  gratified.  He  returned 
with  Colonel  Fremont  to  California,  was 
with  him  during  the  war  in  that  region, 
and  acquitted  himself  much  to  the  satis- 
faction of  his  employer. 

At  the  close  of  the  war,  he  married  a 
Spanish  we  ^an,  and  was  purposing  to 
return  to  Oregon.  But  the  most  pleas- 
ing part  of  thie  narrativ3  concerning  him 
Avas,  that  he  retained  his  Christian  hab- 
its. When  his  companions  swore,  he 
would,  if  he  could  not  dissuade  them 
from  the  practice,  abruptly  leave  their 
company.  His  example  was  so  decided, 
that  some  of  his  associates  were  influ- 
enced to  lead  a  better  life.  Thus  did 
the  seed,  sown  in  prayer,  bring  forth 
fruit,  even  under  the  most  unfavorable 
cir-^mstances. 


i'k«8i 


114 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


»;■ 


km 


i:  :t  ■ 


VISIT  TO  THE  HOT  SPRINGS. 

The  missionaries  sometimes  sought  re- 
Uef  from  their  toil  in  short  excursions 
into  the  surrounding  country.  They 
endeavored,  on  these  occasions,  to  unite 
usefulness  with  recreation,  by  obtaining 
a  more  full  acquaintance  with  the  habits 
of  the  Indians;  speaking  a  word  of 
counsel  or  admonition  to  those  who 
might  never  visit  the  station ;  and,  at 
the  same  time,  to  invigorate  their  own 
minds  and  bodies  for  renewed  exertions 
in  their  fields  of  labor. 

Having  heard  frequent  remarks  con- 
cerning certain  "Hot  Springs,"  at  a 
distance  of  about  sixty  miles  firom  their 
residence,  they  resolved  to  visit  them. 
They  took  with  them  an  Indian  guide : 
by  his  assistance  they  were  led  to  an 


"'"-iwi 


^'' 


VISIT  TO  THE  HOT  SPRINGS.        116 


encampment,  where  the  natives  were 
gathering  a  supply  of  roots  for  food. 
One  species  of  these  they  pound  in  a 
mortar,  making  a  kind  of  pumice ;  and 
then,  by  drying  in  the  sun,  make  a 
sweet  and  nutritious  food,  which  will 
keep  in  good  condition  for  months.  To 
this  company  the  missionaries  offered 
the  "bread  of  life."  They  were  re- 
ceived kindly ;  and,  after  sowing  seed 
which  they  prayed  might  prove  fruitful, 
they  proceeded  on  their  journey? 

The  neighborhood  of  the  Springs, 
which  they  soon  reached,  presented  a 
peculiar  appearance.  The  earth  was 
yellow,  seeming  to  be  covered  with  a 
sulphureous  matter,  interspersed  with 
red  and  blue  particles.  The  rocks  were 
of  similar  appearance, — all  giving  evi- 
dence that  internal  fires  had,  some  time, 
found  vent  there,  and  thrown  their  vol- 


m 


m 


w 


m.' 


I, 


116 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


mm  \ 
iiiffii ' 


canic  flames  over  the  country,  to  a  con- 
siderable distance. 

Following  the  Shute's  River,  which 
rises  in  the  President's  Range  of  moun- 
tains, they  soon  came  upon  the  Springs. 
The  water,  as  it  gushed  forth  from  the 
mountain,  in  numerous  places,  was  but 
little  below  the  boiling  point.  The  In- 
dians declared  that  their  meat,  suspend- 
ed in  the  streams,  as  the  water  bubbled 
up  from  the  ground,  cooked  nicely. 
Whether  it  would  have  been  considered 
sufficiently  boiled  by  those  who  were 
more  accustomed  to  food  well  dressed, 
we  do  not  know.  A  snake,  thrown 
into  the  spring,  was  skinned  almost  in- 
stantly ! 

These  springs,  seven  in  number,  sent 
forth  a  large  column  of  steam,  as  their 
waters  reached  the  cold  air.  After 
struggling  around  for  a  short  distance. 


I)  ',       II   !■ 


EQUATOR — HIS  TRAGIC  END.        Il5r 


can* 


in  separate  streams,  the  waters  mingled 
in  a  beautiful  brook,  which  settled  into 
a  quiet  pool.  In  this  our  missionaries 
took  a  bath,  which,  from  its  mild  tem- 
perature, would  have  answered  for  an 
invalid  not  able  to  endure  cold  water. 

Having  added  to  their  stodc  of  valu- 
able minerals,  with  which  the  place 
abounded,  they  returned  home,  stimu- 
lated to  renewed  labor  by  this  manifesta- 
tion of  God  in  nature,  who  can  make 
the  soHd  earth  burn  as  a  furnace. 


EQUATOR-HIS  TRAGIC  END. 

* 

Equator  was  the  name  of  an  Indian  chief. 
Nature  made  him  a  chief.  Though  not 
the  son  of  a  chief,  he  was  placed  at  the 
head  of  his  tribe,  the  Wascapams,  in 
unanimous  acknowledgment  of  his  men- 


%■ 


■jf  t  :iai.->i.| 

mm 


t 


i 


f 


|i: 


im'$ 


4h 


!  ii' 


118 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON, 


tal  and  physical  superiority.  He  seem- 
ed born  to  rule.  His  person  was  large 
and  commanding,  and  his  bearing  lofty, 
yet  dignified.  He  moved  among  his 
fellow-Indians  like  one  conscious  of  su- 
periority, never  condescending  to  those 
little  acts  of  bravado  which,  whether 
among  savages  or  civilized  men,  evi^ 
dence  a  mind  aspiring  after,  rather  than 
possessing,  true  greatness.  His  head 
was  not  flattened,  like  those  of  his  tribe. 
He  used  to  say,  jocosely,  that  his  par- 
ents tried  the  usual  methods  of  giving 
it  the  fashionable  shape,  but  that  it  was 
too  hard  to  be  thus  molded.  He  was 
therefore  known,  to  some  extent,  as  the 
^^  Boston  chief,"  because  he  had  a  head 
like  the  white  men. 

When  first  known  at  the  mission 
station,  he  had  two  wives,  after  the 
practice  of  most  of  the  chiefs.      The 


EQUATOR—HIS  TRAGIC  END.        119 

missionaries  tried  to  show  him  the 
wickedness  of  polygamy,  and  he  finally 
acknowledged  it,  and  put  away  one  of 
them,  but  supported  her  as  before.  He 
had,  for  a  savage,  an  uncommonly  clear 
perception  of  what  was  right ;  and  was, 
more  than  was  usual,  disposed  to  act 
honestly.  His  passions,  however,  were 
strong,  and,  when  provoked,  he  was 
like  the  lion  disturbed  in  his  retreat  by 
the  hunters.  But  he  was  not  like 
many  of  his  race,  seeking  small  provo- 
cation to  anger.  His  noble  nature  de- 
spised mean  conduct;  and  his  eye 
would  flash  with  the  fire  of  indignation 
when  he  saw  it  in  others.  He  was 
passionately  fond  of  his  children,  and 
the  wife  with  whom  he  continued  to 
live.  He  brought  them  all  to  the  re- 
ligious services  of  the  mission,  and 
seemed  a  willing  learner  of  the  great 

8 


P 


i 


ill 


M 


1 4, ' 


hi, 


m 


120 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


^i  v: 


m 


Hi  ':j', 


■  'f 


truths  of  the  gospel.  Ere  long,  hus- 
band, wife,  and  adult  children,  all  bowed 
before  God  as  humble  penitents.  They 
'  severally  gave  good  evidence  of  a  saving 
change  of  heart  The  wife  became  am- 
bitious to  learn  the  domestic  habits  of 
her  female  Christian  friends,  who  took 
much  pains  to  instruct  her;  while,  at 
the  same  time,  she  learned  the  way  of 
salvation  more  perfectly.  She  was 
amiable  and  teachable,  and  won  the 
affections  of  her  teachers.  Her  oldest 
daughter,  Talispam,  was  taken  into  the 
mission  family.  She  gave  good  evi- 
dence that  she  was  bom  again,  but  her 
earthly  pilgrimage  was  short.  A  rapid 
consumption  brought  her  to  an  early 
grave.  Equator  mourned  with  a  most 
bitter  mourning ;  but  his  grief  was  not 
like  that  of  the  untaught  heathen. 
Though  yet  but  a  babe  in  Christ,  suffi- 


5ii' 


EQUATOR—HIS  TRAGIC  END.        121 

cient  light  rested  upon  his  mind  in  this 
hour  of  affliction  to  make  him,  in  a 
good  degree,  peaceful  and  submissive. 

To  Equator  the  missionaries,  when 
called  upon  to  be  absent  a  short  time 
from  the  station,  committed  the  care  of 
their  families  and  business.  He  was 
faithful  in  such  trusts;  but  his  sense 
of  his  dignity  as  a  chief  led  him  to  set 
a  high  value  upon  his  services.  His 
presence  and  authority  were  of  great 
importance  in  maintaining  order  in  the 
public  religious  sei^ices.  Devout  and 
orderly  himself,  he  allowed  no  improper 
behavior  by  his  people. 

In  1847,  a  company  of  emigrants 
called  at  the  mission.  They  charged 
Equator's  people  with  stealing  their 
horses.  This  accusation  the  mission- 
aries believed  to  be  untrue,  and  Equator 
indignantly  denied  it.     "  What !"  said 


K  M 


f  Ij 


122 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


m 


:ii  ''■!  V  fi 


f'lPf! 


.11  « 


t:l^    '      ii 


,      m:T 


he,  with  the  emphasis  of  wounded  pride 
and  innocence ;  "  am  I  a  doff,  to  steal 
the  Americans'  horses  ?"  v?      v    . 

But  the  emigrants  imprudently  in- 
sisted; and,  as  they  retired,  they 
unjustly  took  the  horses  of  the  Indians 
as  pledges  for  the  return  of  their  own. 
By  this  act  the  Indian  spirit  was  fully 
roused  in  the  few  of  the  clan  who  were 
at  home, — the  larger  numbeV  of  them 
having  gone  to  the  berry-ground.  They 
demanded  of  Equator  to  lead  them  forth 
to  avenge  the  insult.  It  was  an  hour 
of  trial,-^of  sore  temptation.  The  ene- 
my of  his  spiritual  good  came  upon  him 
with  his  deceptive  suggestions :  "  Must 
he  be  a  woman,  and  sit  down,  and  bear 
such  insults  ?  Was  he  not  a  brave,- — a 
chief?  Had  his  people  not  been  wrong- 
ed ?"  To  this  the  missionaries  opposed 
the  teachings  of  the  gospel ;  but,  alas, 


EQUATOR— HIS  TRAGIC  END.        123 


the  fiery  spirit  of  the  Indian  obtained 
the  mastery  of  his  judgment,  and  he 
yielded  to  its  sway ! 

The  warriors  were  armed,  and  they 
set  forth,  and  surrounded  the  emigrants, 
and  commenced  taking  their  horses ; 
but  without  oflfering  violence  to  the 
company.  Tn  an  evil  moment,  one  of 
the  company  leveled  his  rifle,  and  gave 
Equator  a  mortal  wound.  For  his  son 
to  shoot  the  murderer  of  his  father  dead 
on  the  spot  was  the  work  of  a  moment. 
A  general  skirmish  now  commenced,  in 
which  several  on  both  sides  were 
wounded,  and  the  whites  fled  toward 
the  Willamette  Valley. 

Equator,  leaning  upon  the  arm  of  the 
missionary,  who  had  been  an  eye-wit- 
ness of  the  scene,  was  led  into  the  mis- 
sion house.  He  bled  profusely,  and  was 
in  great  agony.    It  was  evident  that  his 


^*^ 


'%', 


'I 

m 
m  I 


ll .  l\ 


124 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


,    .i- 


I ' .-  '' 


m' 


w 


Mv 


H,:ll 


i'l'l 


end  was  nigh.  He  expressed  great  re- 
gret that  he  had  not  listened  to  his 
flxithful  teachers;  and,  it  was  hoped, 
sincerely  repented  of  this,  the  only  act 
discreditable  to  his  profession  he  had 
been  known  to  commit.  May  we  not 
hope  that  He  who  sared  the  dying  thief 
accepted  him  at  the  last  ? 


{%: 


h 


!'<■»• 


'  '  ■■'      i.y'1. 


f.. 


A  BRAND  PLUCKED  FROM  THE  BURNING. 

In  the  fall  of  1846,  Colonel  Fremont 
called  at  the  Dalles  mission.  He  had 
been,  with  his  company,  surveying 
among  the  Rocky  Mountains  during 
the  summer ;  and,  being  short  of  pro- 
vision, had  pitched  his  camp  near  the 
mission,  that  his  men  might  remain 
there,  while  he,  with  a  few  a .  vondants, 
should  go  to  Vancouver,  to  procure  a 


,';,l 


A  BRAND  FROM  THE  BURNiNG.   125 

fresh  supply.  After  his  return,  and 
when  they  were  abaut  to  start  for  the 
States,  one  of  his  party  deserted,  and 
came  to  the  mission  house.  He  was 
an  ill-clothed  and  fierce-looking  map. 
He  declared,  at  once,  that  he  was  de- 
termined not  to  return  with  Fremoat. 
^^  Let  him  shoot  me,"  said  he,  in  an 
angry  tone;  "I  will  not  return  with 
him."  A  blood-thirsty  spirit  seemed  to 
possess  him.  "I  will  kill  Fremont," 
he  exclaimed,  "  if  he  comes  here :  I  will 
fell  him  to  the  floor !"  .i. 

Just  at  this  point  of  time  Fremont 
was  seen  coming  toward  the  mission 
house.  Mr.  C ,  the  deserter,  re- 
peated his  threat  of  encountering  him. 
He  had  no  weapon  but  a  long  knife. 
The  resolution  of  Fremont,  and  the  de- 
cision with  which  he  acted,  was  well 
known  to  the  missionaries;  they  could 


rm 


w 


'iM^M 


ii 


126 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


not  doubt  the  fatal  consequences  to  the 
deserter,  if  the  attempt  was  made.  Be- 
sides, they  wished  not  to  see,  if  they 
could  possibly  prevent  it,  a  deadly  en- 
counter in  their  house,  dedicated  to 
'^  peace  and  good  will  to  all  men." 
They  earnestly  entreated  C to  re- 
tire in  an  opposite  direction  from  that 
of  the  approach  of  Colonel  Fremont. 
The  entreaties  of  the  wife  finally  pre- 
vailed, and  he  sullenly  retired  into  a 
back  yard,  muttering  that  he  should 
meet  him  as  he  returned. 

The  colonel  entered,  to  bid  the  mis- 
sionaries a  courteous  adieu,  as  he  was 
about  to  leave  for  the  States.  In  the 
course  of  conversation,  he  alluded  to 
one  Mr.  C ^  who  had  deserted,  say- 
ing he  was  a  reckless  and  dangerous 
man,  and  that  it  would  be  his  painful 
duty  to  hang  him,  if  he  was  retaken. 


A  BRAND  FROM  THE  BURNING.   127 


After  he  had  left,  Mr.  C- 


re- 


entered at  the  opposite  door.  He  had 
been,  he  said,  standing  near  the  barn, 
by  which  one  path  to  the  camp  led. 
"If,"  said  he,  "Colonel  Fremont  had 
come  that  way,  I  should  have  attacked 
him."  Doubtless,  the  failure  of  meeting 
with  his  brave  enemy  was  not  altogether 
unwelcome  to  this  boasting  desperado ; 
and  it  was  certainly  a  mercy  to  himself, 
whether  he  had  been  the  victim  or  the 
murderer,  that  the  conflict  did  not  take 
place. 

It  was  in  nowise  agreeable  to  the 
missionaries  to  have  such  a  man  under 
their  roof;  but  it  was  now  too  late  in 
the  season  for  the  usual  communication 
with  the  Willamette,  and  they  consented 
that  he  might  spend  the  winter  with 
them,  on  his  giving  assurance  of  good 
conduct 


I  'M'SJ 


128 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


'"■     ;  ,■ 


I      .i  ■■  li 


■.!l,. 


;f'''l,^ 


ii  ii' :  mV: 


Mi 


Fremont  and  his  party  having  gone, 
and  the  hardened  man  having  become 
somewhat  softened  by  kind  treatment, 
he  gave  to  the  missionaries  the  follow- 
ing brief  account  of  his  life : — 

^^  I  was,"  said  he,  "  educated  by  pious 
parents.  My  father  was  a  Methodist 
local  preacher,  and  I  have  a  brother  in 
the  Methodist  ministry.  From  a  boy, 
I  have  been  wicked.  I  ran  away,  when 
young,  from  my  parental  home;  and, 
step  by  step,  I  have  plunged  into  the 
greatest  sins.  I  have  been  a  gambler, 
a  thief,  a  burglar,  R^i  extensive  counter- 
feiter. There  remained  only  one  more 
outrageous  act  to  complete  the  catalogue 
of  my  crimes,  and  that  was  murder, 
which,  but  for  you,  I  might  have  com- 
mitted. 

"  I  am  now  free  from  my  associates, 
by  whom  I  have  been  helped  to  sin, 


A  BRAND  FROM  THE  BURNING.   129 

though  one  of  the  most  wicked  among 
them.  The  wages  of  sin,  with  me, 
have  been  hard.  I  am  now  determined 
to  live  a  moral  life ;  to  be  honest  and 
useful  I  cannot — I  do  not — expect  to 
be  a  Christian:  that  would  be  to  ex- 
pect too  much, — ^my  sins  are  too  black. 
I  am  surcy*  he,  added,  with  bitterness, 
"  that  I  am  lost, — ^lost  forever !  If  I 
were  in  hell,  I  could  not  be  more  cer- 
tain." 

Of  this  conviction  the  missionaries 
tried  to  relieve  his  mind.  They  pointed 
him  to  the  sufficiency  of  the  atonement 
for  all  the  truly  penitent.  But  he  per^* 
sisted  in  his  unfevorable  view  .of  his 
eternal  prospects,  and  made  no  efforts 
to  become  a  Christian.  He,  however, 
attended  the  meetings,  and  frequently 
listened  to  personal  efforts  for  his  con- 
version.   Thus  time  passed  off  some- 


(?;iinMN,!' 


ISO 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


vii' 


T  ;t,: 


"I ':.' 


what  pleasantly  until  February.  He 
had  been  about  four  months  at  the  mis- 
sion,  making  himself  useful  in  various 
ways,  as  a  mechanic. 
'^  At  this  time  he  had  an  altercation 
with  some  Indians  who  visited  the 
premises,  and  threatened  to  proceed  to 
violent  measures  against  them.  This 
course  was  likely  to  create  much  trouble, 
and  to  disturb  the  good  feelings  of  the 
Indians  toward  the  missionaries  them- 
selves. They  therefore  insisted  ^upon 
his  leaving.  This  he  did,  with  much 
ill  will,  threatening  to  destroy  the 
mission. 

During  the  following  summer  nothing 
was  heard  of  this  desperate  man.  But 
in  the  fall,  at  a  camp-meeting,  in  the 
Willamette  Valley,  he  made  his  appear- 
ance. As  the  meeting  progressed,  the 
Spirit  wrought  powerfully  upon  hUn. 


A  BRAND  FROM  THE  BURNING.   131 

As  he  expressed  it,  "  The  Spirit  seemed 
to  say,  *This  once  I  strive;  notv  be 
saved,  or  never/"  He  threw  himself 
into  the  circle  of  prayer  in  great  agony. 
His  self-reproaches  were  very  bitter. 
He  literally  tore  up  the  earth  where  he 
knelt,  in  his  convulsive  struggles.  All 
night  did  he  pray,  with  tears ;  and  all 
night  the  peopte  of  God  kneeled  around 
him,  in  earnest  supplication.  At  the 
dawn  of  day,  light  from  above  burst  in 
upon  his  mind.  He  soon  became  filled 
with  heavenly  peace.  It  was  truly  a 
life  firom  the  dead,— the  light  of  day 
flashing  in  upon  midnight  darkness! 
He  afterward  related  his  experience, 
with  great  simplicity,  and  all  were 
much  affected. 

He  remained  at  the  mission  in  Willa- 
mette, from  this  time,  about  three 
months;   showing  the  genuineness  of 


m 


mm 
W 


m 


iiv  ii 


f  I 


IHi 


ill' 


4i 


I  -i 


■  1  • 


li?' 


;,|y''.  J  i 


iSli 


i>1: 


I  ,1  • 


ill 


p'  ! 


182 


MISSION  UFB  IN  OREGON. 


his  conversion  by  a  holy  life.  He  then 
left,  for  his  long-forsaken  home  in  the 
States^  where  he  is  now  married,  and, 
it  is  believed,  is  still  continuing  to  lead 
a  new  life,  in  Christ. 


NOTES  OF  A  JQURNEY. 

The  difficulties  and  dangers  of  traveling 
in  Oregon,  during  the  residence  of  our 
missionaries,  were  very  great.  If  the 
journey  was  by  land  or  water,  or  partly, 
as  was  generally  the  case,  by  both,  the 
perils  and  labor  were  much  the  same. 

In  the  month  of  September  several 
of  the  mission  family  started  from  the 
Dalles  for  the  Willamette  Valley,  a  dis- 
tance of  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles. 
The  first  difficulty  was  to  hire  Indian 
assistance.     This  was  \)ot  a  small  mat- 


=* 


NOTES  or  A  JOURNEY. 


133 


ter,  for  they  are  not  easily  satisfied 
with  the  first  engagement,  and  are 
often  still  more  difficult  to  be  satisfied 
in  the  final  settlement.  Next,  the 
canoes  were  put  in  readiness ;  then  the 
food  for  the  whole  company  was  care- 
fully provided,  with  some  little  con- 
^veniences  with  which  to  prepare  it  for 
eating.  Besides  these,  a  small  quantity 
of  wheat  was  carefully  stowed  away,  to 
be  ground  at  Willamette. 

AH  the  temporal  preparations  being 
made,  the  company  were  called  together 
for  devotional  exercises.  A  hymn  was 
sung,  in  which  the  sons  of  the  forest 
were  ever  interested.  Then,  in  turn, 
the  Christian  teachers  invoked  the  bless- 
ing of  God  to  attend  them, — ^to  preserve 
them  from  the  perils  of  the  waters,  and 
the  perils  of  the  wilderness, — fi:om  the 
dangers  of  exposure  to  drenching  rains 


I  ■  I'  i 


i. 


Mm 

ill 


■I ' ; 
Ik 


134 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


i 


l!|l| 


Wi 


f.- 


and  chijling  winds.  Most  of  all,  they 
prayed  that  they  might  behold  the  face 
of  their  Christian  friends  at  the  Willa- 
mette in  peace,  and  return  renewed  in 
spiritual  and  bodily  vigor  for  the  great 
work  of  winning  the  heathen  to  Christ. 
Having  thus  sought  the  divine  protec- 
tion, they  bade  adieu,  with  no  little 
emotion,  to  the  native  converts,  who 
accompanied  them  to  their  boats. 

The  voyage  down  the  Columbia  to 
the  Cascades  occupied  a  little  over  two 
days.  At  night,  a  camp  was  formed  on 
shore;  a  cheerful  fire  rendered  their 
resting  place  comfortable,  while  its  light, 
reflected  from  the  surrounding  forest, 
rendered  its  darkness  more  gloomy. 
But,  while  the  howl  of  savage  beasts 
was  occasionally  mingled  with  the  shout 
of  savage  men,  a  sound  stranger  in  this 
wilderness   was   heard.      It  was   the 


m 


,;il'  I' 


NOTES  OF  A  JOURNEY. 


135 


sound  of  prayer  and  praise,  sent  forth 
from  our  little  band,  to  awake  the 
echoes  of  the  forest. 

The  Cascades,  formed  by  a  narrow 
opening  for  the  Columbia,  through  the 
President's  llange  of  mountains,  with 
its  rocky  beds,  and  lofty,  jagged,  over- 
hanging precipices,  exhibit  one  of  the 
wildest  scenes  in  nature. 

The  portage  round  these  rapids  being 
attended  with  much  delay  and  labor, 
our  travelers  decided  to  trust  to  their 
frail  canoe.  The  danger  to  which  they 
were  exposed  heightened  the  intense 
emotion  excited  by  the  terrific  scenery, 
and  profound  silence  reigned  among  the 
voyagers,  except  when  broken  by  the 
involuntary  "Thank  God,"  as  some 
perilous  point  was  passed  in  safety ;  or, 
by  the  wild  shout  of  the  Indians,  as 
they  successfully  cleared  a  projecting 

9 


M 

ml 

M 


t* 


4K2' 


Jl'- 


■ill  ■'  -.'i 


.Hi 


M%'Vi 


ir  * 


™,,,i,j 


ill  .. 


"9  ' 1, 


136 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


rock,  against  which  they  seemed  about 
to  be  dashed.* 

Thus  for  two  miles,  sometimes  in  a 
smooth  but  rapid  current,  at  other  mo- 
ments tossed  upon  waves  white  with 
foam,  the  kind  providence  of  God  guided 
them  safely ;  and  &oon  they  were  sailing 
pleasantly  toward  Vancouver,  twenty 
miles  distant. 

Just  below  the  Cascades,  they  en- 
camped upon  a  peninsula,  slightly  con- 
nected, by  a  barren  strip  of  land,  with 
the  main  shore.  They  soon  perceived 
that  their  position,  thus  separated  from 
the  surrounding  country,  was  most 
providential.  The  whole  forest,  for 
many  miles,  was  one  glowing,  terrific 
sheet  of  flame.  The  neighboring  moan- 
tain  peaks,  four  thousand  feet  high, 
burned    with    fearful    intensity.      The 

,  '   :    *    ^  See  Frontispiece. 


NOTES  OF  A  JOURNEY. 


137 


night  was  dark,  save  the  lurid  glare  of 
this  ocean  of  fire.  The  roaring  of  the 
flames,  the  crash  of  falling  trees,  and 
the  fierce,  despairing  shriek  of  the  wild 
animals,  constituted  one  of  the  most 
awfully  sublime  scenes  ever  witnessed. 
Truly,  these  are  a  part  of  thy  ways, 
0  God!  la^the  tempest,  the  flood, 
and  conflagration,  thou  art  seen !  How 
insignificant  is  man  compared  with 
thee! — 

"  Yes !  as  I^EOp  of  water  in  the  sea, 

All  this  ma^jficerul^  in  Thee  is  lost: 

What  are  ten  tlkousand  worlds  compared  to  thee  ? 

And  what  am  /,  then?  Heaven's  unnumbered  host, 

Though  multiplied  by  myriads,  and  array'd 

In  all  the  glory  of  sublimest  thought, 

Is  but  an  atom  in  the  balance : — ^weigh'd 

Against  thy  greatness,  is  a  cipher  brought 

Against  Infinity !"    ^ 


O      {5 


Q 


'•■■■lil'JF' 


lit 

Mm 


ii? 


M 


,f'!^l 


t\- 


J'' 

1  I      if 


i'        I 


? 


4     ill  1, 


I 


In    the    morning,   the    missionaries 
gathered   their  company  together,  for 


138 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


* 


^.4M:    -i 


early  devotions,  in  preparation  for  their 
continued  voyage.  The  intense  emo- 
tions  experienced  during  the  night  had 
prevented  sleep ;  and  now  God  seemed 
unusually  near.  A  suffocating  smoke 
pervaded  the  whole  atmosphere,  and 
rendered  their  progress  slow  and  diffi- 
cult. At  night,  having  made  but  little 
progress,  they  encamped  within  two 
miles  of  Vancouver. 

The  following  day  being  the  Sabbath, 
a  little  band  of  natives  of  the  vicinity 
were  added  to  the  compaliHJ  and  the 
word  of  life  was  offered,  from  the  text : 
"Almost  thou  persuadest  me  to  be  a 
Christian."  Though  nature's  temple 
was  their  place  of  worship,  yet  God, 
"who  dwellest  not  in  temples  made 
with  hands,"  came  into  the  midst  of  his 
people, — their  hearts  were  elevated  to 
hiivi,  and  they  felt  a  new  preparation  for 


4 


NOT.^S  OF  A  JOURNEY. 


139 


their  responsible  work.  Without  any 
other  special  incident,  they  reached  the 
settlement  at  Willamette.  Here  they 
spent  a  few  days  in  the  pleasant  asso- 
ciations of  Christian  friendship.  To 
those  surrounded  by  the  heathen,  the 
value  of  the  society  of  those  whose 
minds  have  been  enlightened  by  the 
gospel,  and  whose  hearts  have  been 
renewed  by  divine  grace,  is  unspeak- 
ably great. 

On  the  return  voyage,  a  short  stay 
was  madMlKt  Vancouver,  for  supplies, 
with  which  a  canoe  was  filled.  While 
passing  along  the  banks,  still  smoking 
wHh  the  recent  fire,  a  large  beiar  came 
Ik  iping  along,  scorched  and  bleeding, 
aLii.  no  doubt,  homeless.  Some  of  the 
Indians,  true  to  their  unpitying  nature, 
seized  a  tomahawk  and  rifle,  to  make 
him  their  prize;    but  he   plunged   in 


■life 


;;i:| 


m 


irv: 


i<* 


I 


SI  i„: 


M 
11 


'i 


r 


r    Jj5 


h:  I 


i 


%\  :| 


'!;      -1 


■     1 


4 


,!■':':!;;:■:! 


140 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


among  the  ruins,  and  eluded  their  pur- 
suit. They  returned,  exclaiming,  "  He 
is  badly  ofT."  Bruin  loved  lifo,  and  pre- 
ferred an  uncomfortable  refuge,  with 
bleeding  and  pain,  to  death  from  the 
tomahawk  or  rifle. 

Not  far  from  this  place,  one  of  the 
Indians,  le  wandering  some  distance 
from  the  company  in  the  canoe,  dis- 
covered a  retired  hut,  in  which  a  white 
man,  his  wife,  and  two  children  had 
made  their  forest  home.  The  father 
and  husband  lay  dead,  and  |i|B  afflicted 
partner  and  little  ones,  with  none  near 
to  sympathize,  to  counsel,  or  to  assist. 
How  timely  must  have  been  the  ap- 
proach of  those  who  could  not  only 
relieve  the  pressure  of  outward  neceS' 
sity,  but  point  the  widow  and  the 
orphans  to  their  God  and  Comforter  1 

While  this  illustration  of  the  exposure 


^ 


NOTES  OF  A  JOURNEY. 


141 


of  the  emigrant  in  this  new  country  was 
deeply  impressing  their  minds,  a  still 
more  s*- J  illustration  occurred  of  the 
surrounding  moral  darkness.  Near  the 
bank  of  the  Columbia  river,  in  a  retired 
nook,  without  any  covering,  without  a 
burial,  lay  the  corpse  of  a  Shasta  slave, 
— a  girl  of  about  sixteen  years  of  age. 
The  truth  soon  flashed  upon  the  minds 
of  the  missionaries.  Surrounding  cir- 
cumstances, and  the  known  practice  of 
the  Indians,  established  in  their  minds 
the  fact,  t^^t  this  poor  girl,  away  from 
her  tribe  and  friends,  while  sick,  and 
perhaps  helpless,  was  brought  here  to 
die!  All  that  our  missionaries  could 
now  do,  they  did.  They  gave  her  a 
decent  burial,  while  they  dropped  a 
tear  over  the  sad  condition  of  those 
who  sit  in  the  region  and  shadow  of 
death. 


ni 


iJlWil 


m 


ivi 


WW 


\m" 


h 

n 


i\i<\ 


M 


^r'i 


';;':,. 


,i:'> 


142 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


While  dispirited  by  these  sad  events, 
a  messenger  overtook  the  company,  with 
letters  from  the  States.  It  was  like  the 
breaking  of  morning  upon  a  night  of 
darkness  and  danger.  One  of  their 
number  thus  notes,  in  substance,  the 
incident:  "A  letter  from  m^  mother 
always  begets  deep  emotion ;  but,  under 
such  circumstances,  it  was  overwhelm- 
ing. I  had  thrown  myself  down,  while 
a  deep  gloom  seemed  pervading  my 
mind.  I  started  when  the  messenger 
came,  and  the  next  moment  I  seemed 
to  be  at  home,  conversing  with  my  dear 
parent."  Thus  does  the  providence  of 
God  most  wisely  mingle  joy  with  sor- 
row, and  kindly  interpose  when  our 
burden  becomes  oppressive. 

After  about  twenty  days'  absence, 
our  friends  again  reached  their  mission 
station,  with  a  lively  sense  of  God's 


MARY  AND  MARIA. 


143 


preserving  care  and  abundant  goodness, 
and  resolved,  with  new  consecration,  to 
give  themselves  to  his  work. 


MARY  AND  MARIA. 

The  fathers  of  Mary  and  Maria  were 
Englishmen.  In  their  early  days  they 
had  left  their  island  home,  entered  the 
employment  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Com- 
pany, and  engaged  in  hunting  the 
buffalo  and  stag,  and  trapping  the 
beaver,  in  the  Red  River  country  of 
Canada.  They  married  wives  of  the 
Kree  tribe  of  Indians,  and  each  had  a 
numerous  family.  The  neighborhood  of 
their  settlement  had  become  somewhat 
populous,  from  the  large  number  of  men, 
from  the  Company's  service,  who  settled 
there. 


1  i.*: 


I 


I-"!' 


f 


:;  II 


l.  If 


li'SvS 


144 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


These  adventurous  men  began  to  wish 
for  another  field  in  which  to  gratify  their 
love  of  new  scenes  and  boundless  for- 
ests. At  this  time  the  fame  of  Oregon 
reached  them.  They  determined  at 
once  to  start  for  that  far-off  country. 
Early  in  the  spring  of  1841  they  com- 
menced their  weary  pilgrimage.  At 
first  they  carried  their  goods  and  chil- 
dren in  horse-carts.  Soon  they  aban- 
doned these  because  of  the  roughness 
of  the  way,  and  placed  their  beds,  pro- 
visions, and  indispensable  articles  on 
pack-saddles.  The  hardy  women  and 
children  followed  the  train  on  foot,  with 
an  occasional  relief  on  the  back  of  the 
heavily-loaded  horses.  Thus  they  spentj 
on  the  way,  the  entire  summer. 

*  In  October  the  tired  but  not  dispirited 
travelers  arrived  at  the  mission  station. 
Here  they  received  sympathy,  and  what 


MABY  AND  MAKIA. 


145 


aid  the  circumstances  afforded,  together 
with  passing  words  of  religious  instruc- 
tion. The  children  were  much  ex- 
hausted, and  it  was  yet  a  long  journey 
to  the  Willamette  Valley,  their  place  of 
destination.  The  parents,  therefore, 
proposed  to  leave  their  two  interesting 
girls,  Mary  and  Maria,  in  the  mission 
flimilies.  Mary  was  eight  and  Maria 
eleven  years  of  age.  We  are  enabled 
to  speak  more  particularly  of  Mary. 
She  had  never  learned  to  read,  conse- 
quently the  missionaries  commenced 
teaching  her  the  alphabet.  Her  prog- 
ress was  slow,  at  first.  She  manifested 
but  little  interest  in  her  lessons,  until, 
one  day,  as  she  was  listlessly  repeating 
what  she  was  being  taught,  a  new 
thought  suddenly  entered  her  mind. 
Looking  up  into  her  teacher's  face,  she 
inquired,  "  Does  all  reading  mean  some- 


Li 


ii 


\W 


'<  '"li 


ir 


LVif 


m 


Il  ' 


m 


mSm.m. 


lit  '1.  ■  ^ 


lil 


iijipji 


146 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


thing?"  "Certainly,"  was  the  reply. 
From  that  moment,  says  her  instructor, 
the  scales  seemed  to  fall  from  her  eyes ; 
and,  with  great  rapidity  and  never-failing 
interest,  she  progressed  in  her  education. 
Her  kind  friends  now  received  much 
pleasure  in  teaching  her;  and  in  ten 
months,  the  time  of  her  stay  with  them, 
she  had  become  able  to  read  with  toler- 
able correctness. 

Maria  was  a  more  active  and  less 
thoughtful  child  than  Mary.  She,  too, 
learned  to  read.  Both  received  religious 
instruction  in  the  family,  and  in  the 
Sabbath  school,  at  which  they  were 
constant  attendants*  While  they  were 
learning  that  they  must  "be  born 
again,"  and  that  Christ  died  "  to  save 
sinners,"  the  Spirit  of  God  was  evi- 
dently graciously  impressing  the  truth 
upon  their  hearts.     Frequently  would 


MARY  AND  MARIA. 


147 


Maria  call  for  Mary,  and  request  per- 
mission for  them  both  to  retire  to  some 
secret  place  for  prayer;  for  the  same 
privilege  Mary  would  often  seek  Maria's 
company. 

At  the  end  of  ten  months  the  father 
of  Mary  came,  to  conduct  them  both  to 
their  friends,  in  the  Willamette  settle- 
ment. They  requested  to  meet  their 
teachers  once  more  for  religious  instruc- 
tion. The  father  witnessed,  with  appar- 
ent interest,  their  proficiency  in  reading 
and  knowledge,  as  they  were  examined 
by  their  teachers.  After  the  exercises 
were  closed,  they  both  appeared  sad. 
Maria  gave  frank  expression  to  her 
feelings :  "  If  we  do  not  get  new  hearts 
now,"  said  she,  "  I  fear  we  never  shall." 

"Are  you  ready  now,'*  asked  their 
teachers,  "  to  give  your  hearts  of  stone 
to  Christ,  and  receive  tender  and  be- 


m 
m 


m 

im 


,!r  .4.; 
!i  i 


!  ^r 


^^  rw 


i: 


U. 


tt     0 


148 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


lieving  hearts  ?"  They  both  expressed 
a  wish  to  make  the  effort.  All  bowed 
together  at  the  footstool  of  mercy ;  and, 
in  answer  to  prayer,  God  manifested  his 
renewing  Spirit.  Joy  and  gladness 
filled  the  souls  of  these  little  lambs, 
and,  with  their  teachers,  they  shouted 
aloud  the  praises  of  a  sin-forgiving  Sav- 
iour. The  Christian  friends,  including 
several  native  converts,  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, heard  the  sound  of  their  rejoicinj 
and  came  in  to  be  partakers  of  their 

joy. 

Thus  clearly  and  most  providentially 
were  these  little  wanderers  in  the  wil- 
derness prepared  to  return  ta  their  pa- 
ternal roof.  Mary's  father  was  seriously 
impressed  with  what  he  saw,  but  did 
not  obtain  pardsn  of  his  sins. 

The  next  day  these  children  leift  the 
house  of  their  religious  instructors,  re- 


SCIATS. 


149 


ceiving  many  earnest  and  prayerful  en- 
treaties to  "  hold  fast  whereunto  they 
had  attained."  Prom  that  time  we 
have  learned  nothing  of  Mary  and  Maria. 
But  we  confidently  hope  that  the  seed 
scattA'ed  in  tears,  which  had  so  promis- 
ingly taken  root,  will  bear  sheaves,  to 
be  gathered  at  last  into  the  garner  of 
God. 


SCIATS. 


While  we  have  presented  sketches  of 
some  Indians  upon  whom  the  gospel 
seemed  to  have  a  decided  influence, 
making  them  new  creatures  in  Christ, 
it  may  be  both  interesting  and  profitable 
to  exhibit  the  traits  of  character  in  a 
few  who  remained  unchanged. 

The  missionary  to  the  Indian  is  called 
to  endure  the  provocations  of  such  dayly. 


iHt: 


w: 


li\, 


t     ill! 


C^r 


n 


y,  ji 


,5,1  ii 


4'S'    * 


!Pi,' I- 


m 


'k 


i'J't'i' !      1 


150 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


He  must  show  them  that  the  servant  of 
God  must  not  strive,  but  be  gentie  to- 
ward all  men.  The  untamed  savage 
will  not  always  appreciate  the  meekness 
of  love,  but  the  incidents  in  the  closing 
portion  of  this  sketch  will  shoW  that 
ferocity  will  quail  before  Christian  calm- 
ness. At  the  same  time  we  may  learn 
the  dangers  of  personal  violence,  to 
which  they  are  often  subjected  who 
have  counted  not  their  lives  dear  unto 
them,  that  they  might  preach  Jesus, 
and  him  crucified,  to  those  who  know 
not  God,  and  are  without  hope  in  the 
world.        - 

Sciats  was  accounted  a  chief  among 
his  people.  He  was  boastful  and  for- 
ward in  his  mtercourse  with  the  mis- 
sionaries. Though  he  did  not  very 
frequently  beg,  yet  when  he  requested^ 
it  was  intended  to  have  the  force  of  a 


SCIATS. 


151 


command,  for,  said  he,  ''  I  am  a 
chief'* 

Sciats  attained  to  an  office,  which, 
though  not  without  its  influence  for 
good  upon  others  perhaps,  did  not 
soften  the  spirit,  nor  correct  the  man- 
ners of  its  possessor.  The  Indian  agent 
had  made  him  whipper-in-chief.  Sciats 
became,  under  this  appointment,  more  a 
terror  than  ever  to  his  red  brethren. 
He  would  come  to  the  mission  house, 
and,  in  a  self-congratulating  tone,  say, 
"Well,  friend,  I  have  killed  two  this 
morning." 

"  Killed  two !"  was  the  reply  5  "  did 
you  Mil  them  ?" 

"Why,  in  our  way  of  speaMng^  I 
did.  I  whipped  them,  as  this  whip 
can  tell,"  flourishing  at  the  same  time  a 
riding-whip,  "I  whipped  them  until 
they  lay  on  the  ground  as  dead  men  " 

10 


S-"'t 


J.! 


IIH 


I 


tM 


■mm 


152 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


mi' 


™  "< 


11  i 


¥'  f 


k'l 


iff 


5:    ■      ^ii 


Having  become  of  increased  import- 
ance, in  his  own  eyes,  Sciats  thought  to 
add  some  slaves  to  his  attendants.  He 
appeared  at  the  mission  house,  one 
m6rning,  dressed  for  an  important  mis- 
sion. A  profusion  of  feathers  decorated 
his  hair.  All  the  ornaments  of  his 
scanty  wardrobe  were  carefully  display- 
ed. He  was  going  to  the  Klamath 
tribe,  to  purchase  two  slaves,  in  ex- 
change for  two  horses.  The  distance 
was  about  ten  days'  ride,  and  Sciats 
felt  that  he  was  on  an  important  and 
great  mission. 

The  missionary  remonstrated  with 
him  upon  the  wickedness  of  his  pro- 
jected business;  telling  him  that  a 
"  chief"  and  a  '^  master-whipper  "  ought 
to  set  a  better  example. 

At  this  Sciats's  dignity  was  offended. 
Throwing  down  his  whip  and  rope,  he 


M-rtii 


I'M 


SCIATS. 


153 


exclaimed,  in  great  anger,  "Your  talk 
is  not  good:  I  will  whip  you;"  and 
commenced  at  once  to  tie  the  feet  of 
the  Christian  teacher.  But  soon  relent- 
ing, he  took  his  whip  and  rope,  mounted 
his  horse,  and  off  he  rode  to  the  Kla- 
maths,  for  his  slaves.  He  returned 
with  two;  but  they' soon  ran  away, 
and  Sciats  found  that  this  species  of 
ungodliness,  at  least,  was  not  gain. 
He  never  recovered  the  fugitives. 

Soon  after  the  above  incidents,  the 
agent  visited  the  mission  station,  and, 
learning  the  bad  conduct  f  Sciats, 
ordered  him  to  receive  the  puuishmeut 
which  hft  had  so  joyfully  inflicted  upon 
others.  The  Indians  exulted  at  the 
sentence;  but  decided  that  as  there 
was  no  chief  greater  than  Sciats  but 
the  agent  himself,  he  must  inflict  the 
punishment.     As  the  Indians  say  they 


n 


if 


•  4i  If 


M:r; 


■ifm 


if 

ii 


;  :■  1! 


154 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


''  i 


'i 
WW 


n  ■  I 


P'  ■' , .     ' 


4 


do  not  believe  in  whipping  clothes,' hh 
back,  according  to  custom,  was  laid 
bare,  and  twenty-five  lashes  laid  on  by 
the  "  great  chief."  Sciats,  true  to  his 
former  profession,  insisted  that  the  whip- 
ping was  good,  and  that  he  should  be  a 
better  man. 

Sciats  had  not  been  without  his  pre- 
tensions to  piety ;  sometimes  saying  to 
the  missionaries,  "  Friends,  I  pray  in 
my  family.  I  don't  forget  to  pray  in 
secret."  His  whipping  even  he  seemed 
determined  to  turn  to  the  account  of 
his  godliness.  The  next  Sabbath  he 
came  to  the  mission  house,  with  his 
Testament,  requesting  the  leaves  turned 
down  at  the  places  where  it  was  said 
Paul  was  whipped.  They  were  found, 
and  read  to  him ;  and  he  turned  away, 
muttering,  with  great  complaisance, 
"  Ah,  Paul  was  whipped !      Paul  was 


SCIATS. 


155 


a  good  man.  Sciats,  he  was  whip- 
ped/' 

The  agent  had  encouraged  the  In- 
dians to  cultivate  land.  The  mission- 
aries also  labored  constantly  to  secure 
in  them  an  interest  in  farming,  but  with 
too  little  success.  They  plowed  their 
land,  gave  them  seed,  directed  them  in 
the  proper  method  of  cultivation,  and 
assisted  them  in  building  log-houses,  in 
the  vicinity  of  their  fields. 

Sciats  gave  some  attention  to  this 
business ;  and,  being  a  chief,  he  claimed 
more  assistance  than  others.  He  had, 
at  one  time,  a  fine  field  of  wheat,  corn, 
and  potatoes.  Again  and  again  he  was 
urged  to  inclose  it,  or  build  his  log- 
house  near,  and  watch  it.  He  was 
warned  of  the  consequences  of  a  neglect 
of  this,  where  the  cattle  were  allowed 
to  feed  at  large,  and  no  responsibility 


m 


m 


It 
SI 


vW 


^H 


If 


'"'&. 


It* 


mi 


II 


P&i  i  'r 


'■'ll  ■■'!!' I 


i:M 


I 


ill 


I: 


156 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


was  assumed  by  their  owners  for  any 
damage  they  might  do  to  uninclosed 
and  unwatched  crops.  But  his  idleness 
was  greater  than  his  fear  of  loss.  When 
his  crops  were  nearly  ready  for  harvest- 
ing, one  night,  the  cattle  of  his  mission- 
ary friend  destroyed  the  whole.  He 
hurried  to  the  station,  burning  with 
rage  and  disappointment.  "  Your  cat- 
tle," said  he,  "have  eat  all ;  left  noth- 
ing,— no,  nothing!"  He  demanded 
immediate  reparation.  The  acknowl- 
edgment of  such  a  demand)  under  such 
circumstances,  was  contrary  to  all  ex- 
ample, and  would  have  involved  the 
missionaries  in  an  insupportable  taxation, 
to  pay  for  their  neighbors'  neglect  of  a 
required  protection  for  their  fields. 

Sciats  came  repeatedly,  urging  more 
and  more  violently  his  claim.  He  was 
reasoned  with,  put  off,  and  finally  flatly 


SCIATS. 


167 


refused.  His  anger  was  furious.  He 
stamped  and  threatened.  Casting  his 
eye  around  for  something  with  which 
to  wreak  his  vengeance,  a  clock  met  his 
.gaze.  The  loss  of  this,  he  supposed, 
would  be  greatly  felt,  and  this  he  seem- 
ed determined  to  dash  to  the  floor ;  but 
his  Christian  teacher  took  him  calmly 
by  the  arm,  and  led  him  from  the  house, 
toward  the  residence  of  a  neighboring 
missionary.  Just  after  reaching  the 
house,  his  anger  began  to  burn  again. 
"  Have  I  no  gun  at  my  house  ?"  he  ex- 
claimed, and  dashed  away  to  his  hut,  a 
short  distance  off,  furious  as  a  bear  rob- 
bed of  her  whelps.  What  was  to  be 
done  ?  He  would  probably  be  back  in 
a  few  moments,  armed  with  a  loaded 
gun.  The  missionary  had  a  two-bar- 
reled gun  behind  his  door:  "There," 
said  he,  "it  shall  stay,  unloaded.    I 


♦ '  I' 


^'  ■■■*■ 


m' 


158 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


hJ 


iT        '■: 


will  trust  in  God,  and  bide  the  conse- 
quence." He  entered  his  dwelling,  and 
sat  down  calmly,  to  wait  the  approach 
of  his  enemy.  Friendly  Indians  gather- 
ed around,  and  extended  their  sympa- 
thy; but  no  Sciats  came.  The  night 
passed  away. 

Early  in  the  morning,  Sciats  came, 
through  a  circuituous  rout,  to  the  mis- 
sion station.  He  called  at  the  neighbor 
of  the  injured  missionary,  confessing  his 
fault,  and  begging  him  to  go  and  inter- 
cede for  him.  He  led  Sciats  to  .lis 
injured  friend. 

"  I  no  slqep,"  said  he,  "  all  night, — I 
feel  so  bad, — I  use  you  so  bad ;"  and, 
with  evident  brokenness  of  spirit,  he 
craved  forgiveness. 

He  was,  of  course,  forgiven,  and 
directed  to  Him  who  alone  can  blot  out 
the  sinner's  transgressions. 


TILUSTINA. 


159 


From  that  time  Sciats  remained  an 
undeviating  friend  to  the  missionaries. 
His  haughty  bearing  yielded  to  the 
power  of  a  gentle  firmness,  united  with 
love.  Could  the  sword  of  the  soldier 
have  done  more?  Was  this  warlike 
savage  insensible  to  the  influence  of 
superior  goodness?  Though  we  find 
no  record  of  Sciats's  hopeful  conversion, 
deep  indeed  must  have  been  the  re- 
ligious impressions  which  could  draw 
from  "a  chief"  such  confessions  of 
wrong  doing ! 


i^ 

*„>; 


I- 


TILUSTINA. 

We  have  introduced  into  these  "inci- 
dents" several  narratives  of  heathen 
children.  We  desire  our  young  readers, 
who  have  been  blessed  with  a  Christian 


J '  it 


160 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


iHM 


I    '■    .r  1   If 


education,  to  be  able  to  contrast  their 
situation  with  that  of  the  boys  and  girls 
whose  parents  are  in  the  darkness  of 
heathenism.  We  wish  also  to  portray 
to  them  the  happy  effects  of  Bible  in- 
struction upon  these  children's  minds. 
We  hope,  by  so  doing,  to  render  more 
cheerful  the  contributions  of  our  readers 
to  the  missionary  cause,  and  to  induce 
them  to  make  still  greater  sacrifices  to 
help  the  extension  of  the  gospel  "  into 
all  the  world." 

Some  time  in  the  winter  or  spring  of 
1842  a  little  Indian  girl  might  have 
been  seen  standing  at  the  door  of  the 
missionary  house,  asking  admittance. 
She  was  almost  without  apparel.  Her 
body  was  covered  with  filth  and  vermin. 
She  begged  to  be  admitted  into  the 
family,  to  assist  in  the  household  duties. 
Though  repulsive  in  her  appearance, 


TILUSTINA. 


161 


and  although  it  must  necessarily  be 
some  time  before  she  could  be  of  any 
service  in  the  family,  she  was  kindly 
received.  A  thorough  ablution,  and 
clean  and  decent,  though  coarse,  clothes, 
soon  made  her  person  more  agreeable. 

In  a  few  months  she  became  quite 
serviceable,  being  able  to  assist  in 
washing,  attending  the  table-work,  and 
taking  care  of  the  babe.  She  also  made 
some  progress  in  reading  and  writing. 
Before  the  close  of  the  year  she  began 
to  appreciate  the  contrast  between  her 
situation  and  her  former  poverty.  She 
would  congratulate  herself  in  reference 
to  the  happy  change :  "  Then,"  she 
would  say,  "I  haH  no  clothes, — only 
one  poor  piece  of  baize;  now  I  have 
one,  two  dresses,  a  handkerchief,  and  a 
blanket.  Then  I  lived  in  a  miserable 
wigwam, — ^my  bed  a  mat,  with  a  piece 


m 


f' 


:  jl  -f  ■  i ' 

V    i      '    'Mil 


II 


!■ 


::■    -.his. 


I 


rr. 


|! 


1  'i 


•r^ 


I'  ! 


i<   ^ 


i"^ 


P:* 


' '  '     i- 

M 


'.'■■I, 


:<''. 


':J 


162 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


of  skin  for  a  covering ;  now  I  have  a 
comfortable  home.  Then  I  was  often 
hungry  and  without  food ;  now  I  have 
enough  to  eat.  Call  me  a  ^Boston/" 
she  would  say ;  "  for  I  am  just  like  a 
'  Boston.' " 

Her  Indian  mates  envied  and  some- 
times perplexed  her.  They  would  tease 
her  to  beg  for  them,  of  the  mission 
family,  things  which  she  knew  it  was 
improper  for  them  to  have.  She  seldom 
asked  for  favors,  except  for  food  to  carry 
to  her  mother,  which  was  occasionally 
granted  her. 

At  the  camp-meeting,  of  which  an 
account  has  been  given,  Telustina  pro- 
fessed to  partake  of  the  rich  mercy  cr 
God,  in  the  pardon  of  her  sins.  Though 
young,  and  possessed  of  a  limited  knowl- 
edge of  religious  truth,  in  comparison 
with  the  children  of  our  highly-favored 


TILUSTINA. 


163 


Sabbath  schools,  and  though  she  had 
her  faults,  yet  she  gave  good  evidence 
that  her  heart  had  been  renewed.  She 
attended  the  means  of  grace,  and  seem- 
ed to  be  faithful  to  her  private  devotions. 
At  the  family  altar  she  sometimes  be- 
came exceedingly  happy,  and,  rejoicing 
in  the  Lord,  would  cry  out,  "  0  Jesus, 
thou  art  good!  My  heart  rejoices  in 
thee !     I  am  happy, — I  am  happy !" 

After  she  had  been  with  the  mission 
umily  for  a  considerable  time,  she 
thought  she  understood  all  kinds  of 
"  Boston  work,"  and  could  do  it  proper- 
ly and  expeditiously.  It  was  thought 
best,  therefore,  for  her  to  take  care  of 
herself.  She  had  intimated  her  purpose 
of  marrying  no  one  but  one  of  "  the 
Boston  men ;"  having,  as  she  thought, 
so  much  knowledge  of  their  method  of 
housekeeping,  and  feeling  so  much  sym- 


,}!. 


Mllfli 


/;;; 


:  if' 


M 


164 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


m 


1 1.  :1 


■/:;■;  Jill;     i   '  ' 


mm  '  t 

mm   ■■ 

mm 

mmi-   . 


ill 


pathy  with  them.  She,  however,  be- 
came the  wife  of  a  "  King  George's 
man,"  a  name  by  which  all  the  English 
are  designated  by  the  Indians.    • 

She  and  her  husband  settled  in  the 
Willamette  Valley,  whore  he  had  the 
charge  of  a  mill.  The  missionaries 
visited  her  and  her  family  once,  some 
time  after  her  marriage.  They  found 
them  in  a  romantic  situation.  A  stream 
rushed  over  its  rocky  bed,  near  their 
door.  Their  furniture  was  simple,  but 
she  appeared  happy  in  the  religion 
which  her  visitors  had  previously  taught 
her,  having,  also,  a  kind  husband.  She 
showed  her  affectionate  remembrance  of 
'hem  by  giving  her  first  child  the  name 
of  theirs. 

How  different  her  situation  from  that 
of  her  heatnen  countrj^woraen !  How 
quiet,  but  powerful,  were  the  influences 


^p 


KIS-KIS,  OR  THE  FOOLISH  END.       165 

of  the  gospel  upon  Tilustina !  How 
different  her  home,  surrounded  by  the 
unostentatious  but  really  important  con- 
veniences of  civilization,  from  the  filthy 
wigwam,  the  cheerless  residence  in 
which  she  spent  her  early  youth ! 
Truly,  the  ways  of  religion  are  pleasant- 
ness, and  her  followers  have  jthe  promise 
of  blessings  in  this  world,  as  well  as 
glory  hereafter. 


KIS-KIS,  OR  THE  POOLISH  END. 

The  missionaries  regarded  Kis-kis  as  in 
no  wise  a  superior  man ;  but  in  his  own 
nation  he  was  called  "a  brave."  He 
was  reckless  in  his  adventures,  head- 
strong,  and  without  wisdom.  He 
boasted  that  he  had  no  fear;   but  he 


m 


III 


It: 


I  h 


f.m 


m 


2'-\ 


nHI 


m 


t(j' 


m^ 


166 


MISSION  LIFE  m  OREGON. 


showed  that  he  was  too  stupid  to  dis- 
cern danger.  He  could  throw  his 
brawny  arms  into  the  air,  and  raise  the 
wild  shout  of  the  warrior,  when  there 
was  no  provocation  to  fight,  and  rush  to 
battle  without  even  the  low  motives  of 
a  savage. 

Kis-kis  had  a  congenial  friend  in 
Skakaps,  a  neighbor.  This  Kis-kis  .was 
the  father  of  Tilustina,  of  whoin  we 
have  given  an  account;  and  it  was 
when  he  came  to  leave  his  daughter 
with  the  missionaries  thatjithey  first  be- 
came acquainted  with  him.  * 

Kis-kis  and  Skakaps  started  off,  one 
day,  for  the  Klamath  tribe,  to  trade  in 
beaver  skins.  Having  lost  their  way, 
they  arrived  among  the  Klamaths  weary 
^nd  dispirited. 

"You  have  come  in  a  good  time, 
brothers/'  said  a  Klamath. 


KIS-KIS,  OR  THE  FOOLISH  END.      16Y 

"  To  get  food,  and  rest,  and  trade  ?" 
replied  the,^sitors. 

"And  to  fight  for  us  too,"  replied 
the  KJamath  chief. 

At  this  proposal  Kis-kis  feigned  an 
indifference  he  did  not  feel ;  for  he  de- 
sired more  blankets  and  guns,  though 
he  seemed  to  love  fighting  for  its  own 
sake. 

"Braves  don't  fight  for  nothing," 
said  Kis-kis. 

"  I  will  give  you  my  daughter,  to  be 
jpurwife."     ^^^ 

"Too  many  wives,"  answered  Kis- 
kis,  who  already  had  two, 

"  More  wives,  more  salmon,"  replied 
the  chief. 

Whether   this   consideration   moved 

Kis-kis  or  not  we  cannot  tell,  but  he 

closed  in  with  the  offer,  and  agreed  to 

fight,  assisted  only  by  his  companion, 

11 


!'  I 


'' 


!'.'     ,  '1 


M< 


1 


168 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


m- 


''h.i-i 


m 


v; 


'm 


the  enemies  of  the  Klamaths.  It  ap- 
peared that  the  Klamaths  had  just 
returned  from  an  excursion  against  the 
Shastas,  and  were  beaten  in  battle ;  and 
a  brother  of  the  chief  had  been  killed. 

"  Take  revenge  for  my  brother,"  said 
the  chief  to  Kis-kis.  "  You  live  with 
the  pale-faces.  You  know  much.  We 
know  nothing.  The  Klamaths  and  the 
Shastas  fight,  as  their  fathers  fought, 
with  bows.  Go, — bring  us  the  scalps 
of  our  enem  ies.     You  are  brave." 

Thus  did  the  wily  chief  flatter  thi 
vain-glorious  warrior  to  his  ruin.  After 
a  long  and  fatiguing  journey,  Kis-kis 
and  Skakaps,  with  a  Klamath  guide, 
came  in  sight  of  the  Shastas'  lodges. 
The  sun  was  sinking  behind  the  hills. 
Their  enemies,  who  had  never  provoked 
thenif  were  sauntering  carelessly  about 
the  encampment,  suspecting  no  danger. 


'«.•'* 


KIS-KIS,  OB  THE  FOOLISH  END.       169 


^irt 


Suddenly,  our  adventurers  opened  their 
fire.  The  women,  unused  to  fire-arms, 
were  frantic  with  fear.  The  old  war- 
riors seized  their  bows,  and  sprang  for 
the  trees.  For  some  time  the  guns 
seemed  more  than  equal  to  the  superior 
number  of  bows ;  but  soon  the  unskillful 
firing  of  Kis-kis  became  evident  to  his 
enemies,  and  they  became  more  bold. 
They  pressed  hard  upon  him  from  every 
side.  A  poisoned  arrow  at  length 
pierced  his  thigh :  he  stumbled,  and  his 
friends  fled  with  desperate  haste.  Poor 
Kis-kis  fought  with  the  courage  of  de- 
spair, but  soon  fell  dead,  pierced  with 
many  arrows. 

The  missionaries  tried  to  use  all  these 
sad  occurrences  to  impress  on  the  minds 
of  the  heathen  the  superior  excellence 
of  the  gospel  of  peace.  In  many  cases, 
we  trust,  the  seed  fell  upon  good  ground. 


I 


lp 


• .  I 


I  ' 


'I' 
Mi 


111' 


k 


K'f''i 


"mam 


110 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


imt 


* 


VISIT  TO  MOUNT  JOHN  ADAMS. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  A  JOURNAL. 

Dalles  Mission  Station,  Oregon  Ter- 
ritory, September  13,  1845. — Great 
preparation  must  be  made  in  this 
country  for  a  journey,  either  by  wa- 
ter or  land.  We  have  just  completed 
our  an'angements  for  an  excursion  to 
Mount  Adams.  Provisions  for  three 
persons  for  ten  days,  tents,  &c.,  with 
pack-horses  to  carry  the  same,  make,  in 
part,  our  outfit.  The  two  boys  who 
have  assisted  me  upon  the  farm,  Penas- 
sar  and  Howatt,  accompany  me. 

Mount  John  Adams  is  the  only  one 
of  the  President's  Range  to  be  seen 
from  the  mission  house.  Its  ever  snow- 
clad  summit  is  a  beautiful  object,  as  it 


VISIT  TO  MOUNT  ADAMS. 


171 


reposes  amid  the  clouds.  In  a  direct 
line,  it  may  be  fifty  miles  from  this 
station,  though  our  track  along  the  In- 
dian trail  will  be  perhaps  a  hundred 
miles. 

In  eampy  at  night, — ^We  have  made 
about  thirty  miles  to-day.  We  swam 
our  horses  across  the  Columbia,  and 
were  taken  over  ourselves  in  a  canoe 
by  the  Indians.  Our  camp  is  at  the 
foot  of  a  large  mountain.  I  am  much 
fatigued,  but  shall  rest  to-morrow  from 
secular  labor,  and  endeavor  to  refresh 
both  soul  and  body  in  the  service  of 
God. 

lUhy  Sabbath  Morning, — The  quiet 
that  reigns  through  this  forest  is  favor- 
able to  the  spirit  of  devotion, — God  is 
here.  While  I  think  of  Christian  lands, 
— of  my  own  favored  countrymen,— -of 
my  dear  friends,  with  whom  I  have 


liSl 


f 

III 
ill 

111 


imA 


I  i 

'"V  't 


m 


I 
m. 


172 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREaON. 


n^ 


fJ 


walked  to  the  house  of  God  in  com- 
pany,— I  am  thankful  that  I  can  here, 
in  this  solitary  place,  commune  with 
my  Maker.  After  our  morning  devo- 
tions, my  heart  was  greatly  strength- 
ened in  endeavoring  to  instruct  my 
Indian  boys  in  a  knowledge  of  the 
Bible.  Could  the  Sabbath-school  chil- 
dren of  the  States  see  them,  as  their 
countenances  occasionally  are  lighted 
upj  when  they  receive  a  few  rays  of 
gospel  truth,  they  would  more  than 
ever  love  the  missionary  cause. 

15th, — ^We  commenced  our  journey 
this  morning  before  the  day  broke,  and 
have  threaded  our  way  along  the  sides 
of  lofty  mountain  peaks,  across  streams, 
and  through  almost  impassable  forests, 
until,  having  traveled  thirty  miles,  we 
have  pitched  our  tents  on  the  "Indian 
Berry  Ground."    Here  are  a  large  com- 


., VISIT  TO  MOUNT  ADAMS. 


173 


pany  of  Indians,  busily  engaged  in  pick- 
ing whortleberries:  these  they  dry  by 
the  fire,  and  preserve  them  for  future 
use.  They  spend  a  month  or  more 
here,  every  season.  The  absence  of  our 
Indian  converts  so  long  a  time  during 
the  berry  season,  being  surrounded  as 
they  are  by  every  possible  bad  example, 
and  separated  from  the  watchful  care  of 
their  teachers,  in  many  cases  proves 
very  injurious  to  their  piety.  We 
mourn  over  their  frequent  declensions, 
and  feel  keenly  the  difficulties  of  our 
\york ;  but  God  is  our  help. 

This  evening  I  held  a  meeting  with 
the  Indians,  and  gave  them  such  coun- 
sel as  their  circumstances  seemed  to 
require. 

16/A.— We  rose  early  this  morning, 
and  held  a  meeting  with  the  Indians. 
Though   the  day  had   only  begun  to 


f\  i. 


'Hit 


!i  i!  , 


I 


k 

mi 

m 


i 


fll 


:.  f 


« 'J 


M 


■'l 


V'^ 


1' 


ml  M 


';'   .1',' 

m 

*  i  ■■ 

■rk 


-if 


1^  v 


'    '  IP 


174 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


dawn,  a  good  number  were  present  to 
hear  of  Christ  crucified,  and  to  join  in 
an  early  song  of  praise. 

It  was  our  intention  to  ascend  Mount 
Adams,  which  is  just  before  us,  and  re- 
turn to  this  place  to-night.  We  left  our 
tent  and  provision  on  the  Berry  Ground, 
in  charge  of  the  boys,  and,  with  a  guide, 
started  to  ascend  the  ir»ountain. 

We  reached  the  foot  about  eleven 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  after  having  traveled 
about  twelve  miles  from  our  camp; 
though,  when  we  started,  we  seemed  to 
be  within  a  few  miles  of  it.  My  guide, 
an  old  man,  of  the  Tlikatal  tribe,  said  I 
was  the  first  white  man  who  had  tried 
to  climb  to  the  summit.  As  we  slowly 
wended  our  way  up  the  side  of  the 
mountain,  the  scene  became  overwhelm- 
ingly beautiful  and  grand !  From  the 
foot  to  the  region  of  snow  is  a  growth 


^ 


VISIT  TO  MOUNT  ADAMS. 


175 


of  heavy  timber,  of  fir,  spruce,  &c.  Just 
before  entering  upon  the  domains  of  per- 
petual winter,  the  evidences  of  terrific 
avalanches  became  apparent,— deep  ex- 
cavations in  the  earth,  fragments  of 
scattered  rocks,  and  tottering  crags,  left 
trembling  upon  their  base  by  the  mighty 
shock  which  had  made  such  devastation, 
— all  showed  how  fearfully  grand  must 
have  been  the  course  of  the  avalanche, 
from  this  far  height  to  the  plain  below ! 
Arriving  at  the  region  of  snow,  we 
left  our  horses,  and  commenced  climbing 
as  best  we  could,  the  old  man  leading, 
and  my  young  guide  and  myself  follow- 
ing. Having  ascended  a  considerable 
distance  from  the  horses,  the  old  man 
stopped,  exhausted.  "See,"  said  he, 
putting  his  fingers  into  his  gray  locks, 
which  were  tossing  in  the  wind,  "  I  am 
old, — old  limbs  weary.     Go ;   you  are 


1% 


n 


II" 


f)  P 


'Vtf*v. 


i'5: 


%^ 


'V 


.'J 


lU 


m 


'  'iid 


%l  mi 


>  1 


iU 


H 

iO 


176 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OBEOON. 


young.  By  and  by  you  too  get  old, — 
then  weary  soon."  So  saying,  he  rested 
awhile,  gave  us  a  few  words  of  direction, 
and  returned  to  the  horses. 

With  determined  minds  we  climbed 
up, — up, — ^picking  our  way  along  the 
ridges,  where  there  was  no  snow.  The 
moss-flower,  scattered  here  and  there, 
was  in  full  bloom.  Tracks  of  deer  were 
sometimes  to  be  seen,  and  the  elk  fre- 
quently crossed  our  path.  Having, 
with  much  labor,  ascended  to  within 
one  thousand  feet,  perhaps,  of  the  top, 
I  sat  down,  exhausted,  and  determined 
to  go  no  further.  The  sun  was  fast 
sinking  in  the  distant  west,  and  the 
country  below  glowed  in  his  reflected 
rays.  My  soul  was  absorbed  in  the 
sublimity  of  the  scene.  Just  below  us 
were  yawning  chasms,  whose  fearful 
depths  the  eye  of  man  never  pierced. 

'09-' 


VISIT  TO  MOUNT  ADAMS. 


in 


Stretched  out  on  every  side,  in  the 
mingling  of  earth  and  sky,  were  forests, 
mountains,  plains,  and  rivers,  all  wild, 
and  grand  as  ever  human  eye  beheld. 

*'  These  are  thy  works,  Parent  of  good/' 

The  hills  of  Willamette,  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles,  and  the  Columbia  River, 
at  Vancouver,  one  hundred  miles  dis- 
tant, were  distinctly  seen  by  the  un- 
aided eye. 

-  The  approaching  evening,  and  the 
increasing  chilliness  of  the  air,  broke  a 
reverie  which  I  would  have  delighted 
to  indulge  for  hours,  and  we  com- 
menced our  return.  Every  step  seem- 
ed a  plunge,  so  sharp  was  the  descent, 
and  so  sensitive  was  my  exhausted 
frame. 

About  ten  o'clock  we  reached  the 
horses.    The  old  man  had  left  for  his 


iij*' 


Mh 


W. ' 


my 

■i'Mm 


U 


^i. 


118 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OBEGON. 


i  I    .    ■  4-    1^1    I     ■  .■■: 
.',■     ■1   .{  .1:     ;  !  I  .j 

ti'f  il^  It' 


t> 


lodge,  six  miles  distant,  requesting  us 
to  follow  him,  for  a  night's  repose. 
But  I  could  go  no  further.  Buttoning 
up  my  coat,  I  laid  down  on  the  cold, 
hard  ground,  and  passed  a  restless 
night. 

In  the  morning,  having  just  started, 
we  met  the  old  guide,  coming  to  meet 
us,  having  a  few  berries.  These,  and 
more  that  were  given  us  soon  after,  by 
some  Dalles  Indians,  were  very  accepir 
able  after  fasting,  with  the  exception  of 
a  very  few  berries,  for  thirty  hours. 
We  found  our  tents  and  friends  all  safe, 
on  our  arrival  at  the  Berry  Ground. 
Here  I  held  meetings  again  with  the 
Indians.  Experience  has  taught  us, 
that  the  only  way  to  secure  a  perma- 
nent influence  over  these  wanderers  of 
the  forest,  is  to  foUow  them  in  their 
journeyings,  so  far  as  possible;   hold- 


•i» 


LUXILLU. 


119 


ing  meetings  with  them,  and  watching 
over  their  spiritual  welfare. 

20^A.-r-We  reached  our  home  to-day, 
having  had  an  instructive  and,  we  hope, 
not  a  profitless  excursion. 


m 


'  .1 


'f,: 


J  '* 


LUXILLU. 


-  ;  i 


't-.' 


Lttxillu  was  a  native  of  Wisham,  a  vff- 
kge  at  the  Dalles,  on  the  north  side  of 
the  Columbia  River.  His  native  laa- 
guage  was  the  Walla-walla.  As  it  is 
quite  common  for  the  different  tribes  to 
intermarry,  he  obtained  a  wife  from  the 
Ohenooks.  Luxillu  and  Wapaspa,  his 
wife,  lived  happily  together.  Their 
children  all  died  in  infancy. 

During  the  great  revival  of  1838, 
Luxillu  and  his  wife  experienced  the 
pardoning  grace  of  God,  as  did  a  large 


h 


'.r\ 


firil 


^r       * 


'«■ 


III*  • 


m  m 


mi 


180 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


number  of  the  Indians,  both  young  and 
old.  LuxUlu  was  one  of  the  faithful 
few  who  continued  in  undeviating  fidel- 
ity to  his  profession.  In  his  lodge  he 
was  mild  and  devotional,  faithfully  at- 
tending to  his  social  duties  as  a  Chris- 
tian. The  family  altar  was  never  with- 
out the  sacrifice  of  prayer  and  praise. 
In  the  stated  prayer-meetingSj  Luxillu's 
voice  of  confession  of  Christ  was  seldom 
wanting ;  and  his  devotional  spirit  fully 
evinced  his  sincerity. 

John,  of  whom  an  account  is  given 
in  a  following  section,  was  his  inti- 
mate friend.  They  built  log-houses  to- 
gether, toiled  in  the  canoe  side  by  side, 
and  could  almost  always  be  seen  in  each 
other's  company.  They  were  kindred 
spirits,  helping  each  other  in  the  way  to 
heaven. 

Luxillu  was  an  excellent  interpreter. 


*, 


sr 


.Hvf: 


LUXILLU. 


181 


He  seemed  to  catch,  as  the  missionaries 
never  knew  any  other  Indian  to  do,  the 
spirit  of  the  language  communicated  to 
him.  When  he  was  absent  during  the 
fishing  or  berry  season,  away  from  the 
stfited  means  of  grace,  and  surrounded 
with  temptations,  he  stood  firm.  He 
always  returned  rejoicing  in  the  love  of 
God.  As  might  be  expected,  confidence 
in  his  piety  was  inspired  in  the  minds 
of  his  companions,  though  they  were 
unconverted.  His  influence  for  good 
was  extensive.  It  affected  all  who 
knew  his  spirit  and  life. 

When  his  teachers  left  the  Dalles  for 
the  Willamette  Valley,  in  anticipation 
of  returning  to  their  own  country,  he 
accompanied  them  with  a  heavy  heart. 
He  had  loved  them  for  their  works' 
sake,  and  he  loved  them  because  he 
loved  Him  who  had  sent  them  to  tell 


\m 


m 


'W 


fii 

r 


ill 


1:11 

i'r 


1# 


182 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


,(■  w  -A 


B'i- 


him  of  the  cross  of  Christ.  When,  at 
last,  the  time  came  for  them  to  embark 
for  the  States,  this  faithful  disciple,  like 
the  companions  of  Paul,  accompanied 
them  to  the  beach,  and  bade  them  fare- 
well with  many  prayers  and  tears,  sor- 
rowing, as  did  the  apostle's  friends, 
because  he  thought  to  see  their  faces  no 
more. 

LuxiUu  was  an  ornament  to  his  Chris- 
tian profession,  and  a  bright  light  amid 
the  darkness  of  heathenism. 


■1  JS 


.if 


'(■ ''  IPI 


■I 


JOHN. 

John  was  introduced  to  the  mission 
family  by  his  chief,  Tumeocool.  Tumeo- 
cool  spoke  warmly  in  his  praise, — said 
he  was  active,  and  would  be  of  great 
help  on  the  farm.    This  was  found  to 


*■•■ 


JOHN. 


183 


be  true.  He  brought  his  wife  and 
father,  Simeon,  of  whom  we  have  writ- 
ten. After  some  time,  he  built  a  log- 
hut  for  his  family,  ard  cast  off  his  In- 
dian dress,  and  obtained  by  his  industry, 
for  the  Sabbath,  a  full  suit  of  clothes, 
like  the  "Bostons."  With  these  he 
was  much  pleased.  He  even,  at  first, 
showed  the  weakness — at  which  we 
can  hardly  be  surprised  in  him — of 
affecting  the  fop.  He  had  seen  the 
vain  young  Americans,  at  the  Willa- 
mette, make  a  show  of  their  white 
handkerchiefs,  and  he  was  careful  to 
let  his  hang  slily  from  his  pocket.  But 
John  was  a  rare  specimen  of  the  natives 
of  the  forest.  Like  Luxillu,  his  friend, 
iio  was  apt  to  learn.  He  was  very  am- 
biaous  to  do  things  as  the  "Bostons" 
^  did  them,  and  as  well  as  they.  He 
drove  the  team,  labored  with  much  tact 


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184  MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON, 

in  the  saw-pit,  helped  to  get  out  lumber, 
(a  most  toilsome  business,)  and  even 
showed  some  mechanical  skill.  He  was, 
too,  an  apt  interpreter.  Wlien  most  of 
the  congregation  were  Chenooks,  and 
the  ^teacher  spoke  in  their  language, 
John  would  interpret,  with  great  sobri- 
ety, into  Walla-walla,  for  those  of  that 
people  who  were  present. 

He  had  two  children,  for  whom  he 
sought  "  Boston  "  names.  Herbert  and 
Julia  were  his  much-loved  son  and 
daughter,  in  whose  improvement  in 
civilization  and  Christian  instruction  he 
took  great  delight.  We  are  not  in- 
formed concerning  the  circumstances  of 
John's  conversion,  but  he  was  one  of 
the  few  native  Christians  in  whom  the 
missionaries  took  unabated  delight.  Ho 
was  always  at  his  class  and  prayer- 
meeting,  and  delighted  greatly  in  the 


JOHN. 


185 


preached  word,  and  in  the  Lord's  sup- 
per. John's  piety  was  uniform.  In 
revivals  and  declensions,  at  the  mission, 
and  on  the  hunting  or  fishing  ground, 
his  zeal  failed  not.  He  labored  too, 
from  lodge  to  lodge,  to  bring  sinners  to 
Christ.  On  a  few  occasions,  he  was 
sent  out  to  conduct  religious  service 
with  his  countrymen ;  and  in  this  serv- 
ice his  labors  were  greatly  blessed. 

Such  was  another  instance  of  the 
fruit  of  missionary  labor.  Is  not  one. 
such  soul  won  to  Christ  worth  a  life  of 
toil  ?  Who  will  say,  though  many  are 
the  discouragements  of  the  missionary, 
that  he  labors  in  vain,  and  spends  his 
strength  for  naught?  Christ  will  de-. 
light,  we  doubt  not,  to  own  such  as 
Luxillu  and  John  as  his  jewels,  in  the 
day  of  his  coming. 


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186 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREOON 


KLADAKULA. 

Kladakula  was  a  Chenook  chief,  and  a 
medicine  man.  He  was  tall  and  stout, 
possessing  a  muscular  frame  of  great 
strength.  His  hard,  almost  fiendish 
countenance,  proud  step,  and  air  of  de- 
fiance, made  him  altogether  one  of  the 
most  intimidating  savages  of  the  coun- 
try. He  lived,  witk  a  small  clan  of  his 
people,  about  ten  miles  below  the  Dalles 
mission.  His  introduction  to  the  mis- 
sionary of  that  station  was  not  the  most 
propitious.  He  was  detected  stealing 
from  his  wheat  field.  Taking  some 
friendly  Indians,  the  missionary  went 
out.  and  remonstrated  with  him.  He 
responded  to  the  kind  entreaty  by 
taking  his  pistol  from  his  belt,  and 
coolly  priming  it;    intimating,  at  the 


;>/,r 


KLADAKULA. 


187 


same  time,  that  he  should  take  wheat 
when  he  wanted  it,  and  as  much  as  he 
liked. 

Not  long  afterward  this  undesirable 
neighbor  took  up  his  residence  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  mission.  He  was  dis- 
posed to  be  altogether  too  intimate; 
trying,  in  the  true  Indian  style,  to  beg 
whatever  he  fancied  and  thought  was 
in  the  possession  of  the  mission.  It 
was  soon  found  that,  where  giving 
would  not  satisfy,  withholding  was  the 
true  policy;  and  he  met,  at  all  times, 
with  a  mild  but  firm  refusal.  Thus 
matters  stood  for  awhile,  when  Klada- 
kula  seems  to  have  made  up  his  mind 
to  try  the  patience  of  these  Christian 
white  men,  and  to  see  if  by  threats  and 
savage  bearing  he  could  not  obtain  his 
objects.  Coming  in,  one  day,  with  a 
sullen  countenance  and  lowering  brow, 


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188 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


u 


he  sat  awhile  in  threatening  silence. 
He  then  began  to  complain  that  his 
people  never  got  presents  from  the  mis- 
sion, and  that  other  Indians  were  more 
highly  favored.  As  this  was  not  true, 
it  was  firmly  denied.  The  family  were 
at  the  time  weak,  having  been  suffering 
with  the  fever  and  ague.  The  mission- 
ary, Mr.  B -,  and  his  wife,  were  the 

only  adult  persons  in  the  house.  A 
Sandwich  Island  man  was  milking  in 
the  barn-yard.  The  malicious  savage 
evidently  chose  this  opportunity  to  try 
his  intimidating  measures.  After  much 
complaining,  in  which  he  did  most  of 
the  talking,  he  roughly  snatched  a  dress 

from  the  hands  of  Mrs.  B ^  and 

flourished  his  long  knife  over  her  head. 
She  seized  his  arm,  and  called  for  her 
husband',"  who  was  in  the  other  room. 
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101 


strate  with  the  savage,  he  hurled  him, 
with  one  hand,  against  the  side  of  the 
room,  and  sat  himself  down  in  a  rock- 
ing-chair. 

Mr.  B •  commenced,  in  as  mild  a 

tone  as  possible,  a  remonstrance  with 
him,  inquiring  why  he  thus  treated 
them ;  and  appealed  to  him  if  he  had 
ever  received  aught  but  good  at  their 
hands. 

But  the  evil  spirit  within  him  was 
not  thus  easily  tamed.  Lifting,  in  one 
hand,  his  flashing  steel  over  his  head, 
he  commenced,  with  the  other,  to  beat 

Mr.  B ,  seeming  determined  to  be 

satisfied  only  with  blood. 

Mrs.  B ran  to  the  yard,  and 

called  the  friendly  Sandwich  Islander ; 
but  before  they  returned  Kladakula  had 
desisted,  and  sat  down  again,  as  if  yet 
not  quite  ready  for  extreme  measures. 


V. 


102 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OEEGON. 


U 


Some  friendly  Indians  coming  in  at 

this    moment,    Mr.    B requested 

them  to  inquire  of  Kladakula  why  he 
thus  treated  him,  and  to  remonstrate  in 
his  behalf.  But  they  were  afraid  of 
him;  their  superstition  making  them 
more  afraid  of  his  power  as  a  "  medicine 
man  "  than  of  his  strength  as  a  chief. 

Kladakula    again    commencing    his 

complaints,  Mr.  B attempted   to 

see  if  it  was  possible  to  pacify  him  by 
presenting  him  a  little  meal.  The 
savage,  with  his  strong  arm,  knocked  it 
from  his  hand,  and  struck  the  giver  in 
the  breast,  so  as  to  nearly  render  him 
breathless. 

The  family  were  now  greatly  ex- 
hausted, from  excitement  and  the  long 
altercation.  Help  must  come  from  God, 
and  come  soon,  or  they  would  ^  faint. 
They  lifted  their  hearts  in  prayer,  and 


KLADAKULA. 


193 


were  reassured  that  God  was  near. 
Kladakula  rose,  and  went  and  sat  down 
in  the  back  room. 

Quietly  Mrs.  B prepared  her 

tea ;  and  remembering  that  it  was  said, 
"If  thine  enemy  hunger,  feed  him," 
she  invited  her  enemy  to  eat  of  her 
bounty.  With  the  many  smiles  and 
blandishments  which  a  savage  can  as- 
sume, he  sat  down  and  ate. 

After  supper,  seeming  to  be  in  a 
softened  mood,  Mr.  B asked  Klad- 
akula why  he  had  thus  annoyed  them. 

"0,"  said  he,  "because  I  bad,  bad. 
You  good ;  you  do  me  no  hurt.  But  I 
ver^  bad;  I  full  of  diable^^ — meaning 
the  devil. 

It  was  some  time  after  his  departure 
before  the  family  were  fully  restored  to 
their  wonted  peaceful  frame  of  mind; 
yet  their  hearts  were  full  of  gratitude. 


104 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


m 


'M 


They  had  doubtless  been  in  great  dan- 
ger. Though  a  great  blusterer,  Klada- 
kula  was  very  wicked, — ^a  desperate 
savage, — the  terror  of  the  surrounding 
country.  God  had  not  permitted  him 
to  harm  them ;  and  to  him  they  now 
returned  the  most  heart-felt  thanks, 
and  renewedly  purposed  to  trust  in 
him  in  perils  yet  to  be  encountered. 

Not  long  after  the  above  occurrence, 
Mr.  B was  at  work  in  his  work- 
shop, and  Kladakula  came,  saying  that 
he  was  going  among  the  Klamaths,  and 
they  were  wicked,  and  he  had  no  knife 
to  defend  himself;  he  must  have  a  knife. 
This  being  refused  with  a  decided  tone, 
he  seized  a  carpenter's  hatchet,  and, 
springing  like  a  tiger  upon  a  fawn, 

seized  Mr.  B in  his  iron  grasp, 

with  one  hand,  and  flourishing,  at  the 
same  time,  the  hatchet  over  his  head. 


:^ »' 


ELADAKULA. 


195 


yelled,  with  savage  fury,  "A  knife,  a 
knife !  or  I  '11  kill  you  /" 

The  missionary  supposed  that  his 
end  was  near,  but  a  sweet  peace  took 
possession  of  his  mind,  and  a  voice 
seemed  to  whisper,  "/  am  with  your 
Being  determined  to  show  no  signs  of 
fear,  for  he  felt  none,  and  being  equally 
decided  not  to  recede  from  a  right  posi- 
tion, and  tius  prepare  the  way  for 
future  aggressions  of  a  similar  kind,  he 
looked  calmly  into  the  face  of  the  angry 
savage,  and  repeated,  firmly,  "I  will 
not  give  you  a  knife."  The  hatchet 
dropped  upon  the  floor,  and  Kladakula 
walked  with  his  conqueror  into  the 
house ! 

The  missionaries,  to  preserve  their 
own  self-possession,  and,  if  possible,  to 
divert  the  mind  of  their  angry  foe,  com- 
menced singing.    While  thus  employed. 


lii: 

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106 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


Kladakula  slipped  out  of  the  back  door, 
stole  a  lassoy  and  retired.  The  lasso 
was  afterward  returned  by  a  friendly 
hand. 

The  next  meeting  of  the  missionary 
with  his  tormentor  was  in  his  wheat 
field,  when  he  found  him  again  stealing 
wheat.  On  his  remonstrating  with  him, 
he  said,  "You  never  see  me  more:" 
and,  in  mercy  to  his  fellows,  and  in 
judgment  to  him,  he  never  did. 

Kladakuia  went  directly  to  the  Berry 
Ground,  and  from  thence  to  a  village 
about  ten  miles  above  the  Dalles. 
Standing,  one  day,  on  the  brow  of  a 
hill,  which  rapidly  descended  into  a 
small  stream,  a  Cayuse  Indian  crept 
stealthily  toward  him,  muttering  to 
himself,  "  You  wrong  the  good  Boston ; 
you  frighten  Indian:  you  bad,  very 
bad;  you  live  long  enough;"  and,  as 


THE  BIBLE  AND  THE  HUNTER.       IQl 

he  uttered  the  last  word,  his  rifle  crack- 
ed, and  the  deadly  bullet  pierced  the 
heart  of  Kladakula. 


THE  BIBLE  AND  THE  .HUNTER. 

The  following  brief  incident  contains  a 
great  truth, — a  truth  which  God  is 
teaching  man,  by  such  facts,  every  day. 
It  teaches  that  the  Bible  is  sharper 
than  a  two-edged  sword. 

A  large  and  influential,  because  ener- 
getic and  intelligent,  class  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Oregon  are  the  hunters.  Their 
life  is  one  of  danger  and  great  exposure, 
but  its  excitement  creates  an  ardent 
attachment  to  it ;  so  that  these  daring 
men  come  to  feel  as  much  at  home  in 
the  forest,  on  the  rugged  mountains, 
and  in  the  frail  canoe,  as  the  Indian 


108 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


■  ';« 


ii? 


himself.  They  are  often  from  the  re- 
ligious and  well-educated  families  of  the 
more  eastern  portions  of  the  continent ; 
but  they  seldom  retain,  in  their  half- 
savage  life,  even  good  morality.  They 
marry  Indian  wives,  and  adopt,  to  a 
great  extent,  the  Indian  mode  of  living, 
with  many  of  their  wicked  habits. 

One  of  these  men,  having  obtained 
bis  accustomed  supply  of  beaver  skins, 
.  J  been  down  to  Vancouver  to  dispose 
of  them,  and,  on  his  return,  stopped  at 
the  Dalles  mission.  Having  been  hos- 
pitably entertained,  as  he  was  retiring, 
the  missionary  put  into  his  hand  a  copy 
of  God's  Word,  asking  him  that  he 
would  read  it  attentively.  •  He  took  it 
to  his  home,  far  away  among  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  When  sitting  in  his  lone 
camp,  he  turned  over  its  pages.  It 
spoke  to  his  conscience:   it  awakened 


ELIJAH  REDDING. 


199 


I  i:ii>j 


the  re- 
3  of  the 
itinent ; 
jir  half- 
They 
3t,  to  a 
if  living, 

ts. 

obtained 
er  skins, 
)  dispose 
opped  at 
)een  hos- 

retiring, 
id  a  copy 

that  he 
e  took  it 
he  Rocky 

his  lone 
iges.  It 
awakened 


feelings  long  since  stifled.  He  began 
to  pray,  and  soon  was  renewed  by  the 
Holy  Ghost.  He  began  immediately 
to  publish  his  new  experience;  and,  by 
example  and  precepty  labored  to  win 
those  associated  with  him  to  Christ. 
He  became  well  known  afterward  as  a 
consistent  Christian. 


ELIJAH  BEDDING. 

When  those  devoted  missionaries,  Jason 
and  Daniel  Lee,  were  on  their  way  to 
the  Willamette  Valley,  the  place  of  their 
final  location,  they  formed  some  ac- 
quaintance with  many  tribes,  far  in  the 
interior.  Some  of  those  tribes,  espe- 
cially the  Nez  Perces,  Cayuses,  and 
Walla-wallas,  were  desirous  to  have  the 
missionaries  stop  with  them.    This  they 


m 


!i 


m 


III 


.1 


200 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


could  not  decide  to  do,  but  told  them, 
that  when  they  were  settled  in  the 
Willamette  Valley,  and  had  established 
a  school,  if  they  would  send  their  chil- 
dren, they  would  teach  them  concerning 
the  white  man's  way  of  living,  and  the 
white  man's  God.  With  this  assurance 
they  were  pleased,  and  gave  the  mis- 
sionaries several  fine  horses,  and  bid 
them  go  in  peace. 

Scarcely  had  these  brethren  begun 
their  labor  when  Pea-pea-mux-mux,  the 
Walla-walla  chief,  brought  his  son,  to 
claim  of  the  white  teachers  the  fulfill- 
ment of  thjeir  promise.  Of  course,  his 
son  was  cheerfully  received,  and  named 
Elijah  Hedding,  after  the  venerable 
bishop  of  that  name,  who  has  recently 
gone  to  heaven. 

Mr.  Shephard,  whose  life  is  published 
by  the  Methodist  Sunday-School  Union, 


ELIJAH  HEDDING. 


201 


was  his  teacher.  He  labored  faithfully, 
not  only  to  teach  Elijah  to  read,  but  to 
lead  him  to  Christ.  At  a  time  when 
many  other  children  were  seeking  re- 
ligion, Elijah  was  convicted  of  his  sinful 
nature.  He  said  his  heart  was  "  hady — 
very  had^  After  many  tears  and  pray- 
ers, he  gave  good  evidence  of  genuine 
conversion.  He  was  not  what  is  called 
"  a  smart  boy ;"  but,  being  kind  in  his 
disposition  and  industrious,  he  improved 
well. 

After  Elijah's  time  had  expired  for 
which  he  was  engaged  at  the  mission, 
he  returned  to  his  own  tribe,  driving  a 
few  head  of  cattle,  as  the  fruit  of  his 
industry.  Some  time  subsequent  to 
this,  while  the  brethren  whose  narrative 
we  are  writing  were  laboring  at  the 
Dalles,  Elijah  came  among  them,  to 
pursue  still  further  his  English  educa- 


13 


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202 


Mie-BION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


tion.  He  had  lost  the  religious  enjoy- 
ment with  which  he  left  the  Willamette. 
The  absence  of  his  religious  teachers,  and 
the  irreligion  with  which  he  had  been 
surrounded,  had  been  permitted  to  over- 
power his  spirit  of  piety,  at  least  in  a 
measure. 

Soon  after  his  arrival  at  the  Dalles,  a 
camp-meeting  was  held  in  the  vicinity. 
Elijah  attended  during  the  day,  and  re- 
turned to  the  mission  house  at  night,  to 
perform  the  little  domestic  business  of 
the  evening.  Returning  one  night  with 
a  fellow-Indian,  the  Spirit  of  God  met 
him,  in  great  power,  by  the  way.  So 
deep  was  his  conviction,  that  he  re- 
turned to  the  camp  ground,  craving  the 
prayers  of  God's  people.  Earnest  and 
believing  supplication  was  offered  in  his 
behalf.  The  conflict  was  not  long. 
Victory  was  soon  announced  in  favor 


ELIJAH  HEDDING. 

of  the  burdened  heart.  Elijah  arose 
from  his  knees,  exclaiming,  with  rapture, 
*'I  am  rich, — I  am  rich!"  In  this 
happy  frame  of  mind  he  continued  dur- 
ing the  acquaintance  of  the  missionaries 
with  him. 

Among  the  female  Indian  converts 
was  Lahart,  a  young  woman  in  whom 
the  teachers  had  taken  great  interest. 
Their  labor  and  prayers  in  her  behalf 
had  been  rewarded  by  clear  conversion. 
In  her  attendance  upon  the  means  of 
grace  she  was  constant.  Her  efforts  of 
love  for  unconverted  friends,  and  her 
consistent  dayly  walk,  won  the  confi- 
dence of  her  Christian  associates.  To 
this  pious  young  woman  Elijah  was 
married  by  one  of  the  missionaries. 
This  was  the  first  marriage  solemnity, 
in  a  Christian  form,  that  some  of  the 
missionaries  had  seen  among  the  In- 


M 


204 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OBEGON. 


■II 


3;  I; 


1; 


.  'is 

^;l^ 


I 


';-^i  :«fj 


dians.  But,  though  sincerely  loving 
each  other,  these  persons  were  not  per- 
mitted to  live  happily  together.  The 
wife  was  a  Wascapam^ — the  husband  a 
Walla-walla,  When,  soon  after  their 
marriage,  they  removed  among  Ms  tribe, 
the  hatred  existing  against  her  people 
drove  her  from  her  husband,  and  she 
returned  ta  the  Dalles. 

The  next  turn*  in  Elijah's  history  is 
a  still  more  sad  one.  Captain  Sutton, 
of  California,  had  sent  a  message  to 
Elijah's  father,  the  chief,  Pea-pea-mux- 
mux,  inviting  him  to  come,  with  all  his 
good  hunters,  into  the  region  of  his  fort, 
and  kill  elk  and  deer,  and  catch  wild 
horses ;  and,  bringing  them  into  the 
fort,  receive,  in  return,  cattle,  so  highly 
prized  by  the  Indians.  Thus  enticed, 
the  chief  arrived  at  Sutter's  Fort,  with 
his  son  Elijah  and  his  principal  hunters. 


ELIJAH  HEDDING. 


205 


He  was  there  remindeii  that  the  branded 
horses  and  mules  he  might  catch  be- 
longed to  the  fort;  and,  when  brought 
in,  he  would  be  paid  for  catching  them : 
others  woul(J  be  purchased. 

Away  the  hunters  started,  in  high 
spirits.  At  times  the  forests  rang  with 
their  animated  shout ;  again,  they  stole 
silently  upon  their  unsuspecting  prey. 
The  sharp  crack  of  the  hunter's  rifle 
echoed  among  the  dense  woods,  and  the 
stately  elk  and  the  swift  deer  lay  wel- 
tering in  their  blood. 

The  party  returned  to  the  fort,  laden 
with  valuable  skins,  and  driving  a  num- 
ber of  wild  horses;  but  the  branded 
horses  and  mules  had  been  left  behind. 
The  chief  had  declared  that  they,  having 
escaped,  were  no  longer  Sutton's,  and 
that  he  should  not  have  them.  This 
the  people  of  the  fort  learned  at  a  mo- 


m 


206 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


■m 
m 


ment  when  Elijah  was  with  them,  but 
his  father  and  most  of  his  people  were 
in  their  camp.  In  an  angry  tone,  they 
demanded  of  Elijah  the  instant  sur- 
render of  the  animals. 

"I,"  replied  the  undaunted  Chris- 
tian, "have  spoken  in  favor  of  their 
return ;  but  m^  father  is  the  chief '^ 

This  silrely  was  a  sufficient  answer ; 
but  the  angry  attitude  of  his  enemies 
convinced  Elijah  that  his  life  was  in 
danger.  He  knew,  too,  the  wickedness 
of  the  savage  white  men.  He  calmly 
remarked,  "If  I  am  to  die,  give  me 
time  to  pray ;"  and,  while  assuming  an 
attitude  of  devotion,  he  was  shot  dead ! 

All  that  was  known  of  Elijah,  from 
the  time  of  the  camp-meeting,  was  favor- 
able to  his  consistent  piety.  His  resort 
to  prayer  in  his  hour  of  trial,  his  firm 
integrity  in  opposition  to  his  father's 


THE  POWER  OF  CONSCIENCE.        207 

dishonesty,  give  evidence  that  his  heart 
was  still  right  before  God.  How  pleas- 
ing to  think  that,  through  missionary 
labor,  there  was  hope  in  his  death ! 

On  learning  his  son's  fate.  Pea-pea- 
mux-mux  fled  precipitately  with  his 
company;  leaving  all  ais  cattle — the 
avails  of  his  enterprise — to  his  enemies. 


THE  POWER  OF  CONSCIENCE. 

"  Indians  will  steal,"  said  a  distinguished 
statesman,  who  had  been  the  govern- 
ment's Indian  agent  in  the  north-west 
territory.  Though,  through  the  power 
of  the  gospel,  there  have  been  many 
pleasing  exceptions  to  this  remark,  yet 
it  expresses  a  general  characteristic  of 
the  red  man.  How  are  we  to  expect  it 
to  be  otherwise  ?    They  have  but  lately 


208 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


'i 


I'll 


iff? 


'^m 


heard  of  the  Bible.  The  white  men, 
who  are  their  acknowledged  superiors, 
and  who  have  known  the  command- 
ment, "Thou  shalt  not  steal,"  have 
practiced  the  most  cruel  thefts  upon 
the  poor  Indian  himself.  Too  many  of 
them  have  knowp  only  the  unprincipled 
trader,  or  the  reckless  pioneer  emigrant, 
who  neither  "  deal  justly "  nor  "  walk 
uprightly." 

Much  of  the  perplexity  of  the  mis- 
sionaries' labor  arose  from  the  thieving 
propensity  of  those  whom  they  would 
win  to  Christ.  The  following  incident 
will  illustrate  this  remark. 

There  was  a  man  living  near  the 
mission  station,  whom  his  companions 
called  Waketla.  He  was  a  Wisham, 
but  lived  among  the  Wascapams.  He 
was  intelligent  and  active.  His  skill  as 
a  "  canoe-man  "  made  him  quite  useful. 


THE  POWER  OF  CONSCIENCE.       209 


In  various  other  ways  he  had  rendered 
service  to  the  missionaries;  and  they, 
in  return,  had  imparted  to  him  import- 
ant instruction  in  religion  and  the  prac- 
tices of  civilized  life.  He  was  attentive, 
and  at  times  seemed  benefited  by  what 
he  learned. 

One  day  he  was  employed  chopping 
wood  at  the  mission  door.  He  stepped 
in  frequently  to  the  back  room  for  wa- 
ter, and,  at  one  time,  his  eye  rested 
upon  a  silver  spoon,  which  had  been, 
contrary  to  the  practice  and  intention 
of  its  owner,  left  in  a  tempting  place. 
Waketla  looked  this  way  and  that,  to 
see  if  man  saw  him ;  but  forgot  to  look 
npy  remembering  that  God's  eyes  see 
everything.  His  wicked  heart  said, 
"  They  will  not  miss  it;  white  men  are 
rich, — Indian  poor."  But  conscience 
said,  "  It  is  not  yours.     It  is  wrong  to 


210 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


I 


steal."  But  conscience  was  talked  down, 
and  the  spoon  carried  to  his  lodge. 

One  sin  seldom  stands  alone.  Crime 
makes  way  for  crime.  The  spoon  was 
seen  by  one  of  his  fellow-Indians,  to 
whom  he  protested  that  he  had  received 
it  from  the  hand  of  the  missionary's 
wife.  Not  believing  his  story,  his  com- 
panion hasted  away  to  the  station,  and 
inquired,  "  You  lose  spoon, —  a  dollar 
spoon  ?"  meaning  a  silver  spoon.  "  In- 
dian got  one, — ^Waketla.  He  say  white 
woman  give  him.  No,  no,"  shaking  his 
head ;  "  no  believe :  me  know  Waketla 
steal  him." 

Soon  after  Waketla  came  in,  when 
something  like  the  following  conversa- 
tion took  place : — 

"  Waketla !"  said  the  housekeeper. 

"  Umph !"  was  the  reply. 

"  I  have  treated  you  kindly, — taught 


THE  POWER  OF  CONSCIENCE.        211 


I'll 


you  many  things  Indians  don't  know, 
SO  that  you  think  you  are  almost  *a 
Boston.'  You  have  heard  the  preach- 
.  ing,  and  you  have  attended  to  the 
prayer-meetings.  You  say  that  you 
pray,  and  mean  to  be  good."  During 
this  conversation,  the  culprit  had  straight- 
ened up,  and  stood  listening,  as  if  in  an- 
ticipation of  some  important  revelation. 
"But,  Waketla,"  added  his  reprover, 
solemnly,  lowering  her  voice,  and  look- 
ing steadily  in  his  face,  "you  steal!" 
putting  the  truth  home,  as  Nathan  did 
to  David. 

Waketla's  head  fell  upon  his  bosom, 
and  he  slunk  back  into  a  chair,  guilt 
speaking  in  every  feature,  and  in  every 
act. 

"Now,"  continued  his  teacher,  "God 
saw  you,  and  is  displeased.  He  will 
not  hear  when  you  pray,  unless  you 


III 


212 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


repent.  Tou  never  can  be  happy  until 
you  return  the  spoon,  ask  God  to  for- 
give you,  and  try  to  do  so  no  more. 
Your  act  was  mean  and  wicked.  You 
wronged  your  best  friends.  Waketla 
must  now  be  *  brave  to  do  right,'  and 
^  faint  when  wrong  tempts  him.* "  . 

The  next  morning,  early,  Waketla 
came  with  the  spoon,  his  countenance 
showing  a  self-approving  conscience. 
He  handed  it  to  its  owner^  saying, 
"  Your  talk  was  good  yesterday.  Ah, 
Indian  no  feel  right!  No  pray,— no 
feel  brave  when  I  see  white  teacher.  I 
look  up  in  the  night  through  the  trees, 
see  the  stars  shine,  and  think  they 
God's  eyes  looking  at  Waketla.  Me 
no  have  peace  here,"  striking  upon  his 
breast.  "Now  I  feel  good, — no  steal 
more." 

Waketla's  bitter  experience  was  not 


"-** 


Ah, 
, — ^no 


PEACEFUL  DYING. 


216 


soon  forgotten,  we  trust.  The  gospel 
had  given  him  a  conscience  which  would 
not  let  him  sin  unreproved.  It  taught 
him  the  only  way  to  relieve  a  troubled 
breast, — "To  confess  and  forsake  his 


sm. 


>» 


.  I' 


PEACEFUL  DYING. 

The  records  of  the  triumphant  departure 
from  earth  to  heaven  of  the  good  in 
Ghiistian  lands  find  a  place  in  the 
pages  of  our  religious  papers.  These 
records  stimulate  the  pious  zeal  of  God's 
people.  Shall  not  the  servants  of  Christ, 
saved  by  the  cross  from  heathen  dark- 
ness, be  permitted  to  let  their  light 
shine,  even  amid  the  light  of  a  Chris- 
tian land? 

Simeon  was  an  old  man,  among  the 


216 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


>;{ 


«'.)» 


Indians  of  Oregon,  when  he  was  brought 
to  God:  but  so  much  meekness  and 
ripeness  of  experience  did  he  soon  show, 
that  they  suggested  the  Christian  name, 
Simeon.  He  was  very  constant  in  his 
visits  to  his  closet;  he  evidently  -  met 
God  there.  He  delighted  in  the  circle 
for  social  prayer.  In  his  family  he  was 
faithful,  endeavoring  to  lead  his  house- 
hold to  God.  His  name  was  without 
reproach,  so  blameless  was  his  life  before 
all  men. 

After  he  was  taken  sick,  the  mission- 
aries visited  him,  with  medicine  for  the 
body;  endeavoring  also  to  strengthen 
his  faith  for  his  last  conflict,  which  was 
evidently  near.  But  Simeon's  house 
was  in  order,  and  he  was  ready  to  die. 
His  religious  teachers  were  not  permit- 
ted to  be  with  him  in  his  last  moments. 
His  son,  who  witnessed   his  triumph 


PEACEFUL  DYING. 


217 


over  death,  said  to  the  missionary,  "  0, 
he  no  die  like  other  Indians !  He 
^^PPy?  ^^Wy '  H®  say  angels  come  to 
take  him  away, — they  be  in  his  lodge, 
— they  be  all  around !" 

"  Such  is  the  Christian's  parting  hour ; 

So  peacefullv  he  sinks  to  rest." 

f      ■ 

Chocalalite  was  a  chief  of  the  Wf^ea- 
pams.  He  was  brave,  but  modest  and 
dignified.  He  discharged  his  duties  to 
his  people  faithfully.  He  married  a 
beautiful  young  woman  of  the  Walla- 
wallas.  There  w  as  not  a  more  agreeable 
couple,  nor  a  more  interesting  family  of 
children  than  was  theirs,  among  aU  the 
Indians  of  the  vicinity.  The  parents 
would  come  often,  and  make  a  call  upon 
the  mission  family,  perhaps  to  spend  an 
evening.  To  secure  a  welcome,  they 
would  pleasantly  remark,  as  they  en- 


n 


6 


I 


I'M' 

i 


<, 


218 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


tered,  that  they  had  not  come  to  beg. 
Chocalalite  was  one  of  the  few  Indians 
who  was  too  high-minded  to  indulge  in 
this  almost  universal  practice  of  his 
race.  Their  company,  on  these  occa- 
sions, was  really  pleasing.  They  con- 
versed readily  concerning  the  great 
topics  of  practical  religion,  for  they 
had  given  evidence  of  sound  conversion. 
Their  children,  when  they  accompanied 
their  parents,  would  prattle  away,  either 
in  their  mother's  native  language,  the 
Walla-walla,  or  their  father's,  the  Was- 
capam.  The  light  of  religion,  and  con- 
sequent civilization,  had  brought  joy 
into  this  family.  They  were  deeply 
conscious  of  their  obligation  to  it,  and 
loved  its  solemn  assemblies.  They 
were  like  a  fruitful  tree  which  had 
sprung  up  beside  a  gushing  sprii^g,  in 
the  midst  of  a  barren  desert.     But  con- 


>> 


PEACEFUL  DYING. 


219 


f)  beg. 
idians 
ilge  in 
of  his 
occa- 
y  con- 
great 
:   they 
version, 
ipanied 
,  either 
ye,  the 
Was- 
d  con- 
ht  joy 
deeply 
it,  and 
They 
ih   had 
i^g,  in 
i\t  con- 


sumption marked  Chocalalite  for  its 
victim.  He  grew  paler  dayly,  and  his 
once  erect  and  manly  frame  began  to 
bow  beneath  its  influence.  He  could 
no  longer  join  in  the  fishing  excursion , 
nor  follow  the  panting  deer.  With  a 
feeble  step  he  would  go  to  the  place  of 
prayer,  while  his  heart  was  becoming 
more  and  more  fitted  for  the  inheritance 
of  the  just.  f 

He  spoke  of  his  approaching  death 
with  great  composure,  and  gave  direc- 
tions concerning  his  funeral,  being  par- 
ticular to  direct  that  the  whole  ceremony 
should  be  after  the  Christian  practice. 
His  affectionate  wife  sorrowed  with  no 
affected  grief  while  she  anticipated  his 
death.  He  gradually  failed,  day  by 
day,  until,  almost  imperceptibly,  his 
earthly  pilgrimage  ceased.  Peacefully, 
and  with  unshaken  confidence  in  a  glo- 


:  '  i  '. 


220 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


.4 


nous  immortality,  he  fell  asleep  in 
Jesus. 

Tirash  was  a  young  man.  His  aged 
father  had  been,  for  many  years,  a  letter- 
carrier  to  the  Hudson  Bay  Company, — 
an  office  of  great  responsibility.  Tirash 
had  succeeded  his  father  in  this  busi- 
ness, much  to  the  old  man's  joy,  and 
the  satisfaction  of  the  company.  He 
was  an  only  son,  and  the  pride  of  his 
intelligent  though  unconverted  father. 
To  him  he  committed  the  care  of  his 
property,  consisting  principally  of  horses ; 
and  the  son  never  betrayed  the  trust 
thus  committed  to  him. 

He  had  professed  faith  in  Christ,  and 
God  was  about  to  put  to  the  test  of  a 
dying  hour  the  genuineness  of  that 
faith.  The  dysentery  had  proved  a  ter- 
rible disease  to  the  poor  Indians,  very 
many  of  them  having  died  suddenly 


PEACEFUL  DYING. 


221 


under  its  power.  With  this  Tirash  was 
taken  sick.  His  father  called  in  the  aid 
of  Elymas,  the  medicine  man ;  but  he 
grew  sicker,  and  the  afflicted  parent 
sought  the  aid  of  the  missionaries. 
When  he  consented  to  dismiss  Elymas, 
they  undertook  to  administer  medicine 
to  the  sinking  young  man ;  but  it  was 
too  late, — death  had  marked  him  for 
his  own ! 

Looking  calmly  and  with  a  pleasant 
smile  upon  his  weeping  father,  he  said, 
"Father,  do  not  weep  for  me.  I  am 
going  to  heaven.  Yes,  I  am  going  to 
be  with  Christ!"  Thus  triumphantly 
he  passed  away. 

His  aged  parent  refused  to  be  com- 
forted. "  I  feel,"  he  exclaimed,  "  that 
I  am  cut  through.  There  is  nothing 
left  of  me :  I  am  as  dead." 

The  above  examples  will  be  sufficient 


('  i 


1^1 


lill 


» 


222 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


to  convince  our  young  readers  that  re- 
ligion in  the  heart  of  a  heathen,  as  well 
as  among  the  inhabitants  of  Christian 
landsj  gives  victory  over  death  and  the 
grave.  -  - 


.  • 


'  X''> 


'A 


ii  "iii] 


•      THE  RETURN  HOME. 

When  the  missionaries  first  began  their 
labors  in  Oregon,  it  was  very  difficult  to 
obtain  the  means  of  support  without  de- 
voting much  time  to  the  clearing  of 
lands,  and  becoming,  co  a  considerable 
extent,  farmers.  This  would  take  too 
much  of  the  attention  of  those  who  had 
the  language  of  the  country  to  learn,  to 
preach  to  the  Indians,  and  to  instruct 
them  constantly  in  religious  truths. 
This  made  it  necessary  to  have  farmers 
and  mechanics  attached  to  the  mission, 


THE  RETURN  HOME. 


223 


— men  of  God,  who,  while  they  pro- 
vided means  of  support  to  the  whole 
mission  company,  could  do  much  good 
by  teaching  the  Indians  to  cultivate  the 
lands,  and  to  work  at  useful  trades. 
They  could,  at  the  same  time,  be  of 
great  service  in  the  religious  exercises 
of  the  mission.  But,  as  the  country 
became  more  settled,  and  the  missions 
fully  established,  such  laborers  were  not 
so  much  needed  as  ordained  ministers 
of  the  gospel.  Therefore,  our  friends, 
whose  history  in  Oregon  we  have  slight- 
ly sketched,  after  an  absence  of  nearly 
nine  years,  prepared  to  return  home. 

It  was  not  strange  that  scenes  which 
had  been  associated  with  suffering,  la- 
bor, dangers,  and  religious  enjoyments, 
should  have  become  very  dear  to  them. 
The  very  mountains,  covered  with  snow, 
upon  which  they  had  so  often  gazed ; 


224 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


■■   '■     '3 


¥  i    ?• 


the  Columbia,  sweeping  over  its  rocky 
bed;  the  forests,  vocal  with  the  song 
of  birds ;  the  old  mission  premises,  in 
their  very  rudeness,  especially  the  hum- 
ble chapel,  where  the  voice  of  prayer 
and  praise  had  been  so  often  heard ;  all 
seemed  lovely. 

But  the  Indians,  though  at  times 
savage,  and  always  betraying  the  effects 
of  their  long  degradation  by  sin,  were 
loved  still :  especially  did  the  few  who 
had  been  the  fruits  of  Christian  labor, — 
who  had  shown  themselves  faithful, — 
who  were  loved  for  the  solicitude  even 
which  they  had  occasioned, — call  forth 
the  warmest  emotions  at  parting.  Some 
accompanied  them  awhile  in  their  jour- 
ney toward  the  sea,  and  then  parted, 
"  sorrowing  most  of  all  that  they  should 
see  their  faces  no  more." 

A  part  of  their  journey  to  the  vessel 


THE  RETURN  HOME. 


225 


was  performed  by  aid  of  an  ox-team, 
and  was  necessarily  slow  and  tedious. 
At  night  they  were  slightly  sheltered 
from  the  cool  air,  and  their  wearied 
limbs  reposed  on  no  downy  beds ;  but 
they  were  used  to  these  primitive  cus- 
toms, and  were  cheerful  and  happy. 

The  parting  with  their  co-laborers  in 
the  Willamette  Valley,  some  of  whom 
had  been  immediate  sharers  of  their 
sacrifices,  was  sad,  yet  joyful.  Sad, 
because  they  might  never  meet  again 
on  earth ;  joyful,  since  they  recollected 
the  goodness  of  God,  of  which  they 
had  been  the  mutual  sharers,  and 
because    they   expected    to    meet    in 

heaven.  * 

They  embarked  at  Vancouver,  on 
board  the  brig  Eveline,  May  7,  1848 ; 
and,  with  a  fair  wind  and  a  skillM 
pilot,  safely  passed  the  dreaded  bar  at 


226 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


II 


liii 


M 


If  til 


the  mouth  of  the  Columbia.  But  the 
pilot  was  not  so  fortunate  in  returning. 
The  wind  suddenly  failing,  his  barge  was 
drawn  from  the  channel  by  a  strong  cur- 
rent, and  dashed  to  pieces  upon  the 
rocks.  All  the  crew,  by  a  kind  Provi- 
dence, were  saved. 

After  a  pleasant  sail  of  eighteen  days 
from  the  Columbia,  they  reached  Hono- 
lulu, one  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  with- 
out any  occurrence  of  marked  interest. 
There  they  were  obliged  to  wait  three 
and  a  half  months  for  an  opportunity  to 
get  a  passage  to  the  States.  Their  stay 
was  made  as  pleasant  as  the  circum- 
stances allowed,  by  the  Christian  kind- 
ness of  the  missionaries  of  the  American 
Board. 

The  climate  of  the  island,  though 
pleasant,  not  being  so  invigorating  as 
the  colder  air  of  the  northern  States^ 


fit- 


THE  RETURN  HOME. 


227 


the  missionaries  suffered  from  a  feeling 
of  lassitude  and  feebleness. 

On  the  7th  of  September  they  gladly- 
stepped  on  board  the  ship  South  Ameri- 
ca, bound  for  Providence,  R.  I.  She 
was  a  whale  ship,  laden  with  five  thou- 
sand five  hundred  barrels  of  oil ;  taken 
mostly  from  whales  in  the  Japan  seas. 
The  officers  of  the  ship  were  kind,  and 
the  accommodations  good.  Thus  had 
God  provided  for  his  servants,  after 
their  long  separation  from  home,  a  com- 
fortable means  of  return. 
.■  In  passing  around  Cape  Horn,  their 
attention  was  attracted  by  the  Cape 
pigeon,  the  spotted  eaglets,  and  the 
petrels,  gliding  gracefully  just  above 
the  crested  wave,  seeming  to  have  their 
home  on  the  deep. 

-■  After  passing  the  Cape,  our  voyagers 
experienced  a  series  of  contrary  winds, 


I  ■., 


■  ..* 


228 


MISSION  LIFE  IN  OREGON. 


'-  ■; 


w:^,.  ii 


and  severe  gales ;  while  the  sea  tossed 
their  noble  ship  upon  its  towering  bil- 
lows, as  if  it  had  been  a  bubble  of  its 
own  foam.  One  night,  when  they 
were  all  quietly  slumbering  in  their 
state-rooms,  the  vessel  "  shipped  a  sea," 
that  is,  she  plunged  into  the  bosom  of  a 
wave,  instead  of  rising  on  its  swelling 
top,  and  the  waters  swept  over  her 
deck,  seeming,  for  a  moment,  to  have 
buried  her  in  its  depths  forever.  Her 
tall  masts  quivered,  and  her  whole 
frame  trembled  under  the  concussion. 
Instantly,  all  on  board  started  to  their 
feet.  Even  the  experienced  sailor  was 
alarmed.  But  kindly  did  Qod  care  for 
them :  the  ship  rose  bravely  to  her 
place  upon  the  surface  of  the  sea,  and 
glided  forward  on  her  course  unharmed. 
On  the  30th  of  November,  Pernam- 
buco;  South  America,  was  seen  in  the 


THE  RETURN  HOME. 


220 


distance;  appearing  like  a  city  rising 
out  of  the  ocean.  Here  they  obtained 
fresh  provisions,  which  were  peculiarly 
pleasing  to  the  eye,  as  well  as  refreshing 
to  the  taste,  wearied  as  they  were  with 
the  monotony  of  the  sea  life  and  diet. 

Without  further  incident  of  note, 
they  reached  their  destined  port. 

We  will  not  intrude-  upon  the  sacred 
moment  of  meeting  with  parents  and 
friends,  whom  God  had  spared  to  meet 
them  on  their  return.  Deeply  interest- 
ing was  the  occasion ;  but  of  more  thrill- 
ing interest  will  that  moment  be  when 
the  good  of  all  lands  shall  come  up 
before  God,  having  been  redeemed  by 
the  blood  of  Christ,  to  sit  together  with 
him  forever ! 


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